


Against the Tide

by Flora_Jimin



Series: Against The Tide [1]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Blood, Character Death, Demon Pirate Au, Eventual Smut, M/M, Main Character Death-though technically its more...reincarnation?, Multi, Past and Modern Day Au, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Tags may be added later, Violence, elemental powers, eventual poly relationship, mythical creatures, mythology elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-01-31 03:08:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 143,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21439231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flora_Jimin/pseuds/Flora_Jimin
Summary: Hongjoong is the leader of a notorious pirate crew. A run in with a demon leaves him with immortality and the ability to grant immortal life to those who form pacts with him. One day, a member of his crew angers a sea witch, and she decides to exact revenge on them by casting Hongjoong into a completely different part of the world and stealing his memories.The seven key members of his crew spend centuries looking for him, to no avail, and meet up in modern day Seoul to try and strategize how they can find their leader. Discouraged, with some close to giving up, they happen upon a man with a familiar smile and voice speaking on the street one day about a Long Journey.Now the seven of them must get Hongjoong to remember who he is before he slips through their fingers once again.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Choi San/Jeong Yunho/Jung Wooyoung/Kang Yeosang/Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa/Song Mingi
Series: Against The Tide [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1545592
Comments: 196
Kudos: 381





	1. First Voyage

**Author's Note:**

> She's finally here, the fic I've been teasing on my Ateez blog for over a month now has arrived. I hope everyone enjoys this angsty ass ride we have going on here. I'd love to hear feedback from everytiny, so please feel free to drop those lovely comments, bls <3
> 
> Also-  
Follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) if you'd like. Feel free to drop some asks and cry about Ateez idk.

_=Age 10=_

“What in the blazes is _that?_”

He flinched, flailing his legs as he tried to get down from the man holding onto him by the back of his shirt. That earned him a sharp jab to his ribs, making him cough and sputter as he lowered his head, fear pulsing through his body. 

“He was hidden between some barrels in the hold, Captain. It looks like he was one of the port hands in the last town and he stowed away when no one was looking.” 

The figure across from him clicked their tongue, and he cowered as the sound of leather boots approached him, the wood of the deck creaking loud with every step. 

“Stowed away on _my_ ship? Do you have a death wish, lad?” a voice growled at him and a hand reached out, lifting his face abruptly so he could look the Captain in their eyes. 

“A…woman…?”

The Captain’s eyes narrowed dangerously, one hand going to the blunderbuss pistol strapped to her thigh before she pressed it to the center of his head, lip curling up in dissatisfaction. 

“Aye, and you’re about to be at the bottom of Davy Jones’ locker, rat.” She hissed. He trembled, unable to move his head away from the firearm pressed against it. Panicked, his eyes looked around, finding other members of the crew were also women, some with shorter, choppier haircuts. Some of them sent him sympathetic looks, but none of them made any moves to stop their Captain. 

“I hope you’ve made peace with your family and your maker, lad. I don’t take kindly to people sneaking aboard my ship.”

“I d-don’t have a family…s-sir.” He quickly admitted, having a momentary battle on what to call the angered Captain. The finger that she had on the safety of the blunderbuss paused, and she put a hand on her hip, arching a brow at him. 

“I’m an orphan. I worked at port on the docks for as long as I can remember…I just wanted to see the world and do something more than be a poor orphan on the street, C-captain. P-please…please take me with you, I promise I’ll be useful!” He pleaded, brown eyes holding a flicker of hope and determination. The Captain’s brows went up in surprise, a small laugh leaving her throat. 

“Do you know what you’re saying? Me? Bring a child along? You wouldn’t last-”

“I’ll prove it to you! If I can make myself useful and survive, you make me a member of your crew!” 

The captain rolled her eyes and lowered the blunderbuss, putting it back in its holster and nodding for the man behind him to drop the child. He fell to the deck harder than expected, groaning in pain before looking up, looking at the Captain’s outstretched hand. 

“My name is Captain Jihyo. When we’re in port, you _only_ call me Captain Hyo. If it gets out there are women aboard my ship, or that _I’m_ a woman, our entire crew will be executed. Do you understand?” She snapped. The child grabbed her hand and nodded, pulling himself up with her help before he looked up, determination shining in his eyes. 

“My name is Kim Hongjoong. And I swear on my mother’s resting spirit, I’ll be a fine member of this crew.”

_=Age 15=_

“Must you always get yourself in trouble?” Jihyo grunted, dragging Hongjoong back into the tavern by his ear. He hissed, frowning as he looked up at his Captain. The woman had taken a liking to him in their years together and has quickly become a mother-like figure to him. 

Which…would explain the stern look and smack upside his head he received when Jihyo had pulled him into the room he was to stay in. 

“I told you not to go outside. I know this town well, I knew you’d pull this again-”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Captain! He was harassing that lass on the street, she clearly didn’t want any of his attention, so I…’helped out’.” He coughed at the end of his sentence, avoiding Jihyo’s sharp gaze. She stared at him for a long time before she sent him a smile, pressing their heads together and lowering her voice as she spoke. 

“I appreciate your respect for others, especially women, lad. But you still have to tread carefully. The last thing we need is a brawl breaking out because you’re on your justice kick.” She gently scolded, ruffling his hair before moving away from him. 

“You are a pirate. I would imagine you’d earn yourself a rather..unique name if you continued being so nice.” She waved her finger at him, heading towards the door. Hongjoong rolled his eyes half heartedly, but smiled nonetheless.

“If they remember me for being more than ‘just another pirate’, I’ll take it as a compliment.” He grinned before diving onto his bed, smiling contently. 

_=Age 19=_

“There are some odd jobs we can do while in port.” Jihyo informed them, standing at the ship’s bow with her arms crossed. She had already cut her hair before they neared the port, her eyes set on the approaching docs as they approached. Hongjoong was at her side, along with her First Mate, a quirky gentleman named Daniel.

“I’m sure they’d be happy to see you, Captain. This is your port town, afterall.” He teased. Jihyo hummed, tilting her chin up as they docked. The town was welcoming of pirates, but she still made sure to change their flag to the country’s colors, just as a precaution in the event of any naval officers also being in town. 

“We’ll be staying here for a few weeks, stock up and make sure not to do anything stupid.” She ordered as they lowered the anchor, sending Hongjoong a sharp look as he tried to tip toe out of her sight. 

“That means _you_, Mr. Kim Hongjoong.” 

“I have no idea what you mean, Captain Park Hyo.” 

Jihyo rolled her eyes and smiled, nodding for him and the rest of the crew to disperse and enjoy traveling in the port town. She and Daniel stayed behind. They watched the people mingling in the port with small, calm looks on their faces. 

The silence was broken by Jihyo’s coughing, her brows pulling up as she hacked violently. Daniel frowned, pulling her out of the view of the curious port hands before sitting her on the ship’s deck. Worry creased his brow as she continued coughing for a few minutes before letting out a shaky sound, sighing. 

“Captain-”

“Don’t say it.”

“Jihyo. You can’t keep pretending this isn’t getting worse.” He told her sternly, holding her shoulders. She looked up at him, her lips trembling before she shook her head, brushing her hands off on her trousers before she stood. 

“I know. That’s why we’re here. I heard a tip from the last town that we’d be able to find something here to prolong this…just bare with me.” She told him before she squared her shoulders, pulling her hat down to slightly obscure her eyes as she headed down towards the docks. Daniel sighed and nodded, following faithfully behind her. 

_=3 Nights Later=_

Jihyo smiled as their Quartermaster, Psy, poured her another glass of rum. They all drank merrily together, eating the meat and rice served at the tavern. 

Well, most of them.

Hongjoong sat at the end of the table, nursing a glass of water as he looked over some of the maps their Sailing Masters had gotten a hold of while in town. He surveyed the pages, muttering to himself about potential treasure. Jihyo glanced at him before smiling, taking another hearty swig. 

The sound of their merriment was interrupted by the door to the tavern being opened abruptly, a group of men dragging in bloodied figures. The tavern owner jolted from her spot behind the bar, eyes going wide as the men dropped their wounded on the taven floor. 

“What in the hell are you doing?! You’re going to ruin my floors!” She barked in disapproval, slamming down a mug on the bar, ignoring the way the brew inside sloshed out and spilled onto the counter. 

“Bite your tongue, woman! Can’t you see they’re bleeding out?!” One barked. The woman behind the counter, Momo, raising her brows in surprise at the rude tone. She grabbed a knife from her garterbelt beneath her skirt, stabbing the bar as she looked at them with an unamused expression.

“I don’t like your tone.”

“W-we’re sorry, Miss! Please, let us stay just a little longer! We’ll pay for any damages and all the rounds will be on us tonight!” One of the men quickly tried to remedy the escalating situation. The pirates and other patrons in the tavern cheered, going back to their own devices, while the other wounded men sent him a glare. 

“What? We have to decide what to do and we can’t leave them on the street!” He snapped. A blonde in their group shook his head. 

“I told you dense bastards, we shouldn’t have gone near that cove. Did you see what that wench did to John and Terry?!” He barked. The other three men looked down, clearly terrified as the two they’d brought in coughed weakly on the floor, the focus fading from their eyes. 

Hongjoong bit his lip, moving to pull his seat out when a hand landed on his shoulder. He turned back to the table to find Jihyo had moved from her spot, now taking her place beside him. She sent him a firm glare, clearly having sobered up from the shock of the bloodied men. 

“Don’t you _dare._” she growled, her voice lowered to mimic a man’s flawlessly. Hongjoong shrunk down in his seat, mumbling. 

“I wasn’t-”

“Ay, was I born yesterday, lad? I know that look in your eyes. You’re troublesome need to _help people_ all the time. Don’t you dare go to that cove. I don’t want to leave this port town knowing my son-” she paused. Hongjoong’s lips parted in shock and Jihyo cleared her throat, raising her voice to Momo.

“Momo! Another round of rum! Gimme the strongest you got!” She huffed, pivoting on her heel, leaving Hongjoong stunned in his chair. Jihyo sat down heavily in her original seat, avoiding eye contact with the teen as Daniel chuckled from beside her. 

Hongjoong felt his heart racing, his mind whirring as he ran the word through his head over and over again. 

_Son…_

A fond smile came to his face, and he momentarily forgot about the men behind him. Until a wary laugh came from the left. 

“At least we left that wench bleeding out. Tomorrow we’ll blast the damn cove shut. Send her straight to hell where her kind belongs.” He spat. The other men didn’t laugh along with him, but they seemed to be relieved that whatever it was that injured their own was in pain and soon to be trapped in the cove. 

Hongjoong’s gaze drifted back to the maps in front of him.

He can’t focus. 

_=Midnight=_

Hongjoong carefully removed his boots as he approached the cove, knowing he’d have to wade through knee-deep sea water in order to get inside. He rolled his trouser pants up, tucking his shirt into the waistband of them before he began his careful approach. There was a lantern in his hand, and he had to keep it high above his head to keep it from going out. 

When he reached the mouth of the cove, he bit his lip, looking from left to right. He didn’t see anything initially, so he steeled himself and pushed deeper, his feet lightly slapping against the wet stones of the cove. 

Then he heard it. The low, pained hiss. 

_“G e t o u t.”_

“H-Hold, I’m not here to harm you, I only want to help-”

“Get. **Out.**”

Hongjoong bit back the urge to turn tail and run, turning to the sound of the voice, lifting the lantern. He saw a puddle of blood, his stomach churning as the light rose until he saw a raised stone, seeing a woman staring at him, her face and hands smeared in blood. Her hair fell in front of her face, her lip curled up into a snarl as she looked at him through the ink-colored locks. 

“You need help, you’re injured-”

“_**G E T O U T!__**_” she screamed, and he was knocked off his feet in a harsh gust of wind. His lantern smashed to the ground, plunging the cove in darkness, with only the moonlight in the mouth to light anything. __

_ _ Hongjoong groaned, hissing when he felt the glass from the lantern cut into his palm as he pushed himself up. _ _

_ _ “L-lass, I don’t know what they’ve done to you or why, but I can’t leave you here hurt like this. Please, they won’t leave you alone. Those sailors intend on blowing this cove shut and leaving you here. You’ll die!” He pleaded into the darkness. There was a laugh, low and humorless._< _

_ _ Suddenly, lights appeared in the cove, in the form of balls of fire, each hovering in mid air around the woman. She stayed where she was, reviewing the brunette pirate with mild interest, though there was still pain in her features. _ _

_ _ “You…you must be a fool. Do you not know why they came? Do you know nothing of me?” _ _

_ _ Hongjoong ignored the pain of his palm and shook his head, standing to his feet once more as he carefully approached her. He raised both of his hands when the woman’s eyes narrowed at him. _ _

_ _ "I am not from this port town. I am a pirate, we’ve only settled in port days ago. My name is Kim Hongjoong. Who are you, lass?” _ _

_ _ “I am Hyuna of Tortuga Bay. I am a demon.Those _insolent_ fools came to take the ‘treasure’ of this cove, as fools tend to do. However-” She hissed, groaning as he breathing turned ragged again. She allowed Hongjoong to approach her closer, her hands twitching as he stopped in front of her. _ _

_ _ He looked at her face, hesitantly moving her sweat and blood-slick bangs out of her face. She was a beautiful woman with a porcelain complexion under the blood caked to her face. At this point, Hongjoong wasn’t sure if it was hers, or the blood of the sailor’s. _ _

_ _ “They said they left you wounded-” He stopped himself when he noticed the culprit of her agony. _ _

_ _ The glinting gold crucifix stabbed straight through her chest. His eyes grew, and he noticed the burns around the entrance of the wound and around her fingers, as if she had tried desperately tried to pull it out herself. _ _

_ _ “I…I can take it out.” He said suddenly, eyes transfixed on the crucifix. She stared at him carefully, a small glimmer of hope in her light eyes. The flames that illuminated the cove grew closer, and she looked up at him in interest. _ _

_ _ "You…said you were a pirate, correct? Why are you helping me? You know nothing of who I am and nothing of the rumored treasure, and yet you come to my aid? You could leave now. I can’t die, I’d be just like this for all eternity and you can take my treasure. Why are you trying to help me?” She inquired. Hongjoong shrugged one shoulder, running his uninjured hand through his bangs. _ _

_ _ “I don’t like seeing people being ganged up on. I won’t stand for men doing this to a woman, no matter what the reason.” He told her flatly, meeting her cautious gaze. _ _

_ _ “You can say my…my mother raised me well. I may be a pirate, but I was still raised with respect. Besides, if the puddle of blood I’m standing in is anything to go by, I probably wouldn’t make it out of the cove before you ended me if you wanted to, injured or not. Now…do you want me to take this out?” he questioned once more. _ _

_ _ Hyuna stared at him for a long moment before she closed her eyes, nodding. _ _

_ _ “This may hurt. I’m sorry.” He whispered, wrapping his fingers around the golden base. Hyuna’s brows twitched in pain and he could hear the sound of burning, so he yanked with all of his strength, pulling the crucifix out in one go. _ _

_ _ There was an unholy scream and Hongjoong dropped the crucifix in an instant, clamping his hands over his ears. The floating flames went out and Hongjoong frowned, trying to feel around in the darkness. _ _

_ _ “Lass? Hyuna? A-are you okay? Did I hurt you?” He called into the inky blackness. There was the sound of a giggle, gentle and feminine before the whole cove was illuminated. He looked up in awe, watching as the light illuminated from Hyuna’s body, different from the small, whisp-like plumes of fire from before. _ _

_ _ "I…I am free again.” She exhaled, holding her hand in front of her face, smiling wide as the burns healed themselves. Hongjoong watched the hole in her chest close and let out a relieved smile. _ _

_ _ “Good. You may want to leave, though. Those sailors intend on coming back tomorrow to blast the entrance closed.” He reminded her, moving to dust his hands off on his pants, but stopping when he remembered the blood running from his palm. _ _

_ _ “You…are unlike any man I have met in this realm. Come, since you’ve freed me, it’s only fair I give you a gift in return, yes?” She hummed, looking down at his hand. _ _

_ _ “You don’t have to-” _ _

_ _ "You didn’t have to come here, Kim Hongjoong, the pirate.” She countered. He snapped his mouth shut, nodding in defeat. She did have a point. _ _

_ _ “I will give you the treasure many have come to this cove for. Eternal life, youth, and power beyond your wildest dreams.” She wiped at the blood on her cheek, reaching for his hand to lace their fingers together. _ _

_ _ Hongjoong felt a pulse course through him, and his eyes widened as his heartbeat increased. _ _

_ _ “What-” _ _

_ _ "Kim Hongjoong, I will give you power. You will be like me, a demon. Upon forming blood pacts, you will also make those under you immortals. If the pact is strong, you will share your powers. Accept my gift, for I know you will use it well.” She muttered, her eyes glowing bright blue. Hongjoong gasped, feeling like his body was on fire, energy coursing through his veins. _ _

_ _ "HONGJOONG! GET AWAY FROM MY SON!” a voice caught Hyuna’s attention as a pirate ran full speed at her. She hummed and lifted her hand, a gust of wind lifting the woman effortlessly. She shook her head, sending a fond smile to her. _ _

_ _ “Ah, the mother he mentioned? I never imagined his mother would be a pirate disguising herself as a man. It makes sense, why he’s so unique.” she hummed before looking down at Hongjoong, noticing the faraway look in his eyes, his brow twitching in confusion. _ _

_ _ “What are you doing to him?! Let him go! Hongjoong! Hongjoong!!” Jihyo screamed, thrashing fruitlessly against the wind. Hyuna smiled in fond understanding and shook her head. _ _

_ _ “He has received my gift. He is immortal. Now, he must control his powers. Things tend to get…wild on the first night of the full moon after one becomes a demon. Now sit still. I will help him harness his powers here and now so that your crew won’t be ripped to shreds on the next full moon.” She instructed, watching as Hongjoong’s eyes went from brown to an electric blue, the overabundance of power coursing through him making small spider-web red veins appear on his face. _ _

_ _ His gaze snapped to Hyuna and she rolled her neck. _ _

_ _ “You and your demonic self must become one. Come, I will train you. Though I suggest we hurry, lest your mother have another child over there.” She informed, nodding at Jihyo’s direction. Hongjoong let out a low sound before darting to her full speed, a large blast of water shooting past him. _ _

_ _ Hyuna side stepped and smiled, watching Hongjoong’s face change, three marks appearing on his forehead, along with a bushy white tail. Fireballs rained down on her, all of which she knocked away without batting a lash. _ _

_ _ “Water, even my kitsune powers have went to you? Fascinating. More, show me more, Hongjoong.” She urged, skipping backwards as the ground beneath her feet shook. _ _

_ ** _ _=3 Hours Later=_ _** _

_ _ Hongjoong finally fell to his knees, panting as his eyes returned to their normal, welcoming brown color. Hyuna flicked her hand, bringing Jihyo closer to them, ignoring the way she immediately pulled her blunderbuss on her. _ _

_ _ “Hongjoong….” She trailed off, frowning as he passed out shortly after. _ _

_ _ “You…” _ _

_ _ “I care not for your personal feelings, but I will explain myself. You are from this town, so you know of me. The ‘treasure’ of this cove is me. My blessing. My immortality. Men find out about demons that can grant them eternal youth and they hunt them down. I have killed most who have ventured here, and had you not have raised him the way you did, your son would have joined. But he is different. I can give him my ‘treasure’ with confidence that he wont abuse it and create a crew of immortal vagabonds. The powers are a little extra gift.” She winked and moved to walk past them. Jihyo watched her every move before she started coughing once more, brows pinched up as she observed the blood in her palm. _ _

_ _ “N-No…” _ _

_ _ Hyuna stopped at her side, looking down at her in interest before she straightened her back, turning towards the mouth of the cove. _ _

_ _ “I suggest you form a pact with him. You don’t have much left, otherwise, pirate.” She informed her before she disappeared in a dazzling light. _ _

_ _ Jihyo wiped her mouth and grabbed Hongjoong’s arm, dragging him back out of the cove, sighing. _ _

_ _ —- _ _

_ _ “Captain, don’t you want Hongjoong to be here for this?” Psy inquired, pushing his glasses up as Jihyo gathered all of the crew-sans Hongjoong-on the deck of her ship. _ _

_ _ “No. I have something important to ask of all of you.” She told them, her voice solemn. They all perked, nodding as they watched her carefully. _ _

_ _ “My health…is dwindling. I doubt at this stage there is anything I can do. I know Psy and Daniel have no desire to be Captain when I’m gone, and that most of you have found Hongjoong to be reliable enough for the job. I have one order I want you all to take to the graves with you.” She told them, taking her hat off to rub her head before she set it back on. _ _

_ _ “Hongjoong was…he’s received a ‘gift’ and he’s not human anymore. The lad somehow impressed a demoness and she turned him into one of her own. He apparently can give this immortality to others,” _ _

_ _ “Wait, so why won’t you just-” _ _

_ _ "Because I refuse to take advantage of him. I want my son to give his powers to those he trusts wholeheartedly on his own, not have ties to us out of an obligation for us taking him in.” _ _

_ _ They all began protesting at once, but Jihyo slammed her heel against the deck, glaring at them all. _ _

_ _ "My orders, are for you to not accept any offers of immortality from Hongjoong. Even when he becomes captain. I am here now, and I’m giving the order here and now. Swear to me you won’t betray me. This is a dying woman’s wish.” she told them, leaving no room for argument. _ _

_ _ They all exchanged looks before small, reluctant smiles crossed their faces. One by one they all swore, patting their captain on the shoulder as they filtered back down to their quarters. Daniel and Psy stayed by her side, watching the waves of the ocean in silence as tears ran down her cheeks.—- _ _

_ _ _=x=_ _ _

_ _ “Please!” _ _

_ _ “No.” _ _

_ _ **“_WHY?!_” ** _ _

_ _ Jihyo sighed and looked up at Hongjoong from her bed, her face pale. Daniel was at her side, holding her hand as she coughed weakly. Her condition had gotten worse at an alarming rate and it became impossible for her to hide it. _ _

_ _ “P-Please…Please, I can save you. Please, why won’t you-” _ _

_ _ “I said no, Hongjoong. Let me go. Let me rest. You’ll be a fine captain.” _ _

_ _ Tears welled up in his eyes as he shook his head, his chest heaving. _ _

_ _ “Daniel! You can’t be okay with this! You love her! Tell her to let me help! Tell her to-” _ _

_ _ “It’s already been decided.” Daniel cut him off, raising his head to look at him with bloodshot eyes. Hongjoong bit his lip, looking down with tears rolling down his cheeks. He shuffled to her other side, his shaking hand taking hers as he looked at her face. _ _

_ _ “Captain…M…Mom…please…” _ _

_ _ "Just stay with me, Hongjoong. Stay with me and keep a smile on your face. You’re a different breed of pirate. I want you to make your own crew and change what it means to be a pirate for the world, okay? Until the last wind blows through these sails, please never stop being the center of the world.” She told him, reaching under her blankets to pass him a compass. _ _

_ _ "Let it always point you forward, my son.” She mused, cupping his cheek, crying with him as they continued sailing, the boat gently rocking the trio. _ _

_ _ = ~ = _ _

_ _ The crew shed tears as Daniel set the last stone on top of the pile. Underneath, buried deep in the sand, laid the peaceful body of their captain. _ _

_ _ She had asked to be stripped of all materialistic items, jewels, gold, silver, and buried in the sand of an island she visited when she became a pirate. _ _

_ _ Remote, quiet, with the beautiful scent of island flora beckoning you in deeper. _ _

_ _ One by one, each crew member dropped a bloom on top of the stones, before heading back to the ship. Hongjoong lingered, the bloom in his trembling hand before he sighed and finally relented, setting it down on top of the pile. _ _

_ _ “Goodnight, Captain Jihyo…Sweet dreams, mother.” He whispered, turning and heading back with heavy footsteps. _ _

_ _ He stood on the bow, the wind carrying saltwater and the scent of island flora past his nose like a gentle caress. There was a flower tucked behind his ear as he stared down at the shore, eyes locked on the pile of beautiful rocks in the sand, topped with flowers and shells. The ship pulled away, and he bit back the need to sob as he watched the mound grow farther and farther away. An old voice called to him from behind, and he turned, noticing Psy standing behind him. _ _

_ _ “Captain? We have to keep moving.” his tone was gentle, a hand running through his balding head as he bowed his head in respect. Hongjoong lifted his chin, wiping his eyes with the back of his palms before he turned. _ _

_ _ Right. He was the Captain now. _ _

_ _ “I’ll be right over. We have a long journey ahead of us.” _ _


	2. Second Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seonghwa Centric Origin Chapter:  
Content TWs for:  
Some graphic depictions of violence and blood  
Character Death  
Please take care reading, everytiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's 3 am and I'm hoping there's not too many spelling errors, oop. I  
Also I did a lot of research (aka, way too much) and found that the Mediterranean region has a slew of languages spoken and while Seonghwa only speaks english and french here, he's fluent in many more, as well.  
(Thank you very much to my friends that helped me make sure my spellings were correct, ily)  
Also-  
Follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) if you'd like. Feel free to drop some asks and cry about Ateez idk.

_=Age 7=_

“I don’t like it.”

“I know, my love, but we have to, if our country is going to thrive and stay afloat.”

He stomped his foot, puffing his cheeks out as he looked at his mother. She sent him a gentle, yet patient smile, petting the top of his head. He crossed his arms, looking away defiantly. 

“I don’t want a new father. I only need mother. I don’t want a new family.” He huffed. The hand petting his head stilled and she leveled him with a calm look, her bright gray eyes staring into his narrowed ones. She didn’t say a word, and after a few moments, he lowered his eyes, uncomfortable. 

“You...you won’t love them any more than you love me, right?” He muttered hesitantly, biting his lip as he balled his hands up at his sides. She sent him another smile and shook her head, kissing the top of his forehead. 

“I’ll never love anyone as much as I love my little Prince, Seonghwa. Now come, we have to make preparations.” 

_=Age 17=_

“There he goes! The young prince!”

“He’s so handsome, he’ll grow into a fine man.”

“I hear he and his mother were enchanted by the gods, and that’s why the have such unusual hairs and eyes.”

“Isn’t he much too stern for a child? He’ll be old and gray in no time if he doesn’t enjoy life more.”

Seonghwa kept his head up as he and his horse trotted through the town. He’d heard the whispers for years, always the same thing. His looks, his demeanor, how he didn’t act his age. His people meant no harm by it, so he took no offence. 

Besides...compared to the _other_ prince, someone had to be the mature one. 

Prince Zafer was the reason Seonghwa had ventured out of the castle in the first place. The boy, a mere year and a half older than Seonghwa, was his brother by marriage. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who acknowledged him as the superior brother, however. 

Seonghwa excelled at his studies, learning a myriad of languages under both his mother’s gentle guidance, and the strict tutelage of the king’s instructors, and earning himself a seat in the room when the king and his tactitions went over the kingdom’s next moves. He kept up with his combat training, though the king always assured him that there was no need for such a thing, with a kingdom as powerful as theirs. The blonde prince had gotten in food graces with the people of his new kingdom, often stepping out of the castle for strolls amongst them as a sign of trust and good faith, coming out without any guards to protect him. 

His stepbrother, however, was his polar opposite. 

Zafer cared nothing for the diplomacy that came with being the older of the two princes. He often shoved his work onto some poor unfortunate soul in the kingdom while he slipped into town to try to court the girls easily swayed by his status. Aside from the fact of him being a prince, Zafer had little else to offer anyway. 

Unfortunately, the thought of being the kingdom’s princess was enough for many to ignore that small detail.

Seonghwa found Zafer where he usually did, sitting in a higher end tavern in town. Once the owner took one look at the teen prince’s unamused expression, he cleared his throat, nudging Zafer to catch his attention before the inevitable argument was to ensue, hoping they’d take it outside. 

The brunette waved him off, leaning closer to kiss the had of the fair girl across from him. 

“If you’d like, I’d love to take you into the castle, sometime.” He cooed, wiggling his brows at her. She blushed, giggling from behind her hand before she looked up, her eyes widening in wonder at the unhappy prince that had appeared at the foot of the table. 

“I find humor in the idea of you taking someone else into the castle for a leisurely stroll when you yourself can’t go two minutes without sneaking out and neglecting your duties, Prince Zafer.” Seonghwa’s voice was even and level, but the noticeable twitch in his thick brow was enough to betray his true feelings. Zafer rolled his eyes, sending Seonghwa a sharp, disapproving look before painting a fake smile on his face. 

“Ah, brother! How nice of you to join us? Would you like a drink?” He inquired, lifting up his glass. Seonghwa looked at his hand with a flat look before his frown deepened. 

“I would _like_ to not have to interrupt my studies to always fetch you.” He grunted. 

“Then, by all means, _don’t._” Zafer growled, dropping the act as soon as he put it up. Seonghwa shook his head, a humorless laugh leaving his lips. 

“As much as I would _love_ to not have to deal with you, I’m the only one you can’t just order away. Now let’s go. The King requires your audience.” He sighed, rubbing his temples. Zafer laughed, kicking his feet up on the table as he leaned back in his chair, the wood from both creaking in disapproval from the sudden shift in weight. 

“I don’t think I will, brother. You can go in my steed, yes? Consider it an act of good will towards your beloved older brother.” He beamed. Seonghwa’s steel eyes narrowed, his jaw set as he took a moment to collect himself from the anger boiling inside of him. 

The maiden noticed the rising tension and stood, shying away when Zafer turned his baffled expression towards her. 

“Callista, wait-”

“A-ah, I’m sorry. You should go, Prince Zafer. I don’t wish to make Prince Seonghwa and the King feel any more burdened because of me.” She bowed her head, avoiding eye contact as she tried to dart past the two. She bumped into Seonghwa along the way, nearly tripping after her sandal broke. 

In a whirlwind of motion, he grabbed her hand, catching her before she collided with anything else. He pulled her upwards, letting her go once she had regained her balance. Callista looked up, her face igniting when she was met with the younger Prince’s features up close. He let her go and looked down, noticing her broken sandal. 

With a small hum, he looked towards one of the castle guards Zafer had escort him out, grabbing his attention with a curt wave. 

“Yes, Prince Seonghwa?”

“Please escort this woman to her home. Make sure she gets there safe and then join us in the castle, if you would.” he instructed. The guard nodded, taking the starstruck girl by her wrist, escorting her out of the tavern.

Zafer watched her go with his jaw dropped before he leered at Seonghwa. 

“What the hell are you-”

“Castle. Now. The King requests your audience. You would think you’d be the first to understand that something of that caliber leaves no room for arguments.” Seonghwa cut him off sharply, pivoting on his heel to exit the tavern, satisfied when he heard the older prince curse under his breath, following behind him with the remaining two guards he had taken out with him following in tow. 

They all hopped on their respective horses, with Seonghwa taking off first in a blur of gray. His horse was a strong, gray Caspain female he had named Mars. The King had gifted Seonghwa the mare as a pony when he and his mother combined their kingdoms as a show of good faith. 

There was a flurry of hoofsteps from behind him, but Seonghwa didn’t startle as Zafer and his stallion, Jupiter, caught up to Mars and himself. 

“Must you always be such a killjoy, brother? Maybe if you spent less time in that stuffy library and lived a little more-”

“I’m enjoying my life just fine, Prince Zafer. I get my work done and I still have more than enough time to do the things I enjoy. You, however, I suppose I understand why you dodge your responsibilities. I’m sure if you sat down and actually did all the work you’ve left backed up for everyone else to deal with, you would never see the light of day.” Seonghwa responded without missing a beat. Zafer’s brow twitched and he frowned. 

“Hey...would it kill you to send your big brother a little kindness from now and then?”

Seonghwa’s response was a gentle kick to Mars’ sides, his head straight forward as she stormed ahead of Zafer and Jupiter, leaving them in the dust. 

_=Age 19=_

Seonghwa closed his eyes, smiling softly as delicate fingers placed a crown of flowers atop his head. When he opened his eyes, he smiled up at his mother, enjoying the way the corner of her eyes crinkled in mirth. 

“The crown suits you well, Prince Seonghwa.”

“You do know best, Queen Daliah.” 

She chuckled lightly and shuffled closer to him, placing her back against the tree trunk he was leaning against, looking up at the clouds rolling in the sky. 

“You could have the real crown soon, you know. I doubt your father would give the crown to your brother after his repeated misadventures. You honestly are much more fit for the job.” She mused before she blinked in surprise at her own negative words towards her step son, gently smacking her mouth. 

“Ah, this mouth of mine-”

“You haven’t said anything I do not agree to, mother. The King has tried for years to get Prince Zafer to stop neglecting his duties. Hell, I have tried to get him to take his position more seriously. He’ll throw a tantrum for sure if I become king over him, but it is something he’ll get over.” He hummed, his steel eyes half lidded as he watched Mars sleep in the flora not too far from them. She was seated, her gray head settled in the flowers as she rested. 

“My son, will there ever come a time you see those two as more than just the King and the Prince?” Daliah inquired, turning her head to face him, tilting her head to the side. Seonghwa pursed his lips, feeling the wind sweep his bangs over his forehead. 

“It feels more natural this way, mother. You know how I am with terms of endearment.” He mused, avoiding eye contact. She smiled at him and put her head on his shoulder, a gentle laugh leaving her lips. 

“Ah, yes. Terms of endearment don’t come easily to you, do they, my sweet?”

Seonghwa only put his head atop of his mothers, nuzzling her once as they enjoyed the peaceful morning in the garden. 

_=3 Months Later=_

“This is ridiculous!”

“Calm down, Zafer-”

“No! I do not understand why you’re crowning _him_ king over me!”

Seonghwa stood in the throne room with his hands behind his back, his jaw set and his eyes straight forward as Zafer threw a tantrum. The King sighed, shaking his head while Queen Daliah frowned deeply. 

“Son please-”

“_Don’t interrupt me, the men are talking._” He snapped. Daliah’s brow pinched together in displeasure and there was the sound of something cutting through the air. 

Suddenly, Zafer had the curved blade of one of the family’s signature falcata swords pressed against his throat. He froze, snapping his eyes to the left to meet Seonghwa’s infuriated steel gaze. 

“You can run your mouth for hours about the ‘unfairness’ of the King not giving you the crown, but raise your voice at my mother once more and I’ll cut you down before you can finish your sentence.” He snarled. Zafer sneered at him, backing off to rub his neck, frowning when he felt the spot of blood from Seonghwa’s sharp blade. 

“Pardon me, you can imagine I’m displeased with my <>younger, stepbrother getting the crown over me, a native to this kingdom.” He growled through gritted teeth. Seonghwa didn’t sheath his falcata, instead sharpening his gaze at the shorter prince. 

“Say what you will about my blood, but my talents far surpass your own when it comes to ruling this kingdom. If you were to become the king of this kingdom, we’d fall. You have done nothing but slack off and eat off your silver platter all of your life, I would have no confidence with you as my ruler.” He spat, putting his sword back in its sheath with more force than necessary.

“Seonghwa, Zafer, please don’t fight. The princess is coming soon and-”

“If being the king means I have to marry that woman, you might as well make this one the king. I’ve visited her lands, I know the practices over there. Combining our kingdoms will only spawn chaos. Our lands have opened fair trade with the neighboring countries and we’ve made a name for ourselves for being a safe haven for travellers. What do you think will happen if you bring in another land with the polar opposite way of conducting business?” He snapped, turning his furious gaze to the King. 

“Son, this is a good opportunity to distribute wealth-”

“You would look me in the eyes and lie like this?” 

The king pursed his lips and Seonghwa shook his head. 

“I wouldn’t do business with them under normal circumstances, now you’re asking us to combine our kingdoms and split rule with those brutish people? The streets would run red if you let them stick their hand into our affairs.” 

Zafer tutted from behind him, swaggering up to the front once more. 

“See, father? Seonghwa is much too afraid to see what a good opportunity this is. You should reconsider and make me king instead. I hear Princess Valentina is a real catch~” He cheered, seemingly in good spirits once more. Seonghwa scoffed, crossing his arms as he cast a glance at his step brother. 

“T'es rien qu'un petit connard.” He huffed flatly, looking away when Zafer sent him a look. 

“I don’t know what you just said, but it sounds like an insult.”

“If you studied more than how to chase maidens, you would know.”

Zafer opened his mouth to argue, but Seonghwa turned his back on the trio, shaking his head. 

“If you care at all about the future of this kingdom, you’ll call off the wedding. I refuse to marry that woman.” He told them sharply before he exited, the tails of his royal robes flapping from the motion as he left. 

The King and Queen exchanged looks with one another while Zafer watched him leave, a scowl on his face. 

_=2 Days Later=_

“Can you believe him? Born with a chip on his shoulder, that one. Turning down Princess Val for something as trivial as that? Is he mad? We’re _royalty_, if we lose a few commoners in the crossfire, does it matter?” Zafer grunted, on his third glass of whine as he sat across from some of his men and some men from Valentina’s kingdom. 

“The Princess is very disheartened by his behaviour. I doubt he’ll see our side in this matter, Prince Zafer. So what are we to do?” the largest man-a direct consultant of Valentina’s-inquired. The look on his scarred face was clearly implicating something nefarious, but it didn’t quite reach Zafer’s muddled brain. 

“I told father to just let me be King. It’s my birthright.” He huffed, slamming the glass down on the table. The guards frowned, exchanging a look with one another while Valentina’s men smiled darkly. The leader, the scarred man named Franco, tilted his chin upwards. 

“Then reclaim your birthright. We’d be more than excited to help. Consider it the beginning of our business partnership, yes?” He extended his hand. Zafer looked at his hand, furrowing his brow. 

“What are you implying?”

“You kill your brother. You’re not even related by blood, yes? Once he’s out of the way, we can make sure the crown is on your head, King Zafer.” He cooed, arching a brow and nodding at his hand. Zafer looked back at his hand before he smiled, reaching out. 

The guard beside him grabbed his shoulder, eyes wide.

“Your majesty, this is absurd. Prince Seonghwa is your _brother._” he tried to reason with him, but Franco laughed, loud and booming.

“Oh? You take advice from lesser guards, too? Does the blonde prince do this, too? When will you ever step out of Seonghwa’s shadow?”

Zafer’s lip curled and he reached out aggressively, shaking Fraco’s hand. 

“There won’t be any shadow if he’s dead.” he grunted before he turned towards the guards. 

“You keep your mouths shut. If I find out either of you said a word, I’ll wipe your entire bloodline from this earth, mark my words.” He threatened. They cowered, noticing Valentina’s men shared the same threatening intensity in their eyes. 

From a table over, a man set down his glass of water, a hum leaving his throat. Across from him, another man put his cheek in his hand, a knowing look on his face as he observed his companion. 

“You have that look in your eyes, Captain.” 

“Go back to _The Aurora_ alone, Daniel. I have business to tend to tonight.”

There was a light chuckle.

“Of course you do, Cap’n.”

_=Later=_

“Are you absolutely mad? Are you drunk? Who do you think you are waltzing up to the castle like this?!” 

Hongjoong sighed, running his hand through the back of his hair as he looked at the guards at the gate. They had scoffed at him when he requested conference with ‘whoever the prince is that isn’t a traitor’. 

“Ah, how bothersome. I just wanted to give your prince a warning. There’s a storm coming and I figured I’d warn him before something terrible happens.” He mused, talking to himself more than the guards. They leered at the pirate, reaching for their falcatas to forcibly make him leave when the sounds of hooves approached. 

The three of them looked behind Hongjoong, watching as a handsome blonde man approached on a beautiful gray horse.

“Woah, Mars.” 

The mare stopped in front of Hongjoong, snorting slightly before she sniffed at him, curious. Hongjoong blinked at her before reaching out, smiling when she nuzzled his hand. The man on top watched him with careful steel eyes. 

“Who are you?”

“Kim Hongjoong. Captain of _The Aurora._”

“Your clothes...a pirate, I presume?” Seonghwa inquired, noticing all the affection Mars was giving the stranger. It was curious, since she often didn’t like contact with anyone other than himself and his mother, aside from a few stable hands. 

“You can say that, yes.” Hongjoong was honest, putting his hands behind his head as he looked up at Seonghwa. The guards drew their falcatas in an instant, pointed at his back. 

“You didn’t say that, you bastard! Are you suffering from some kind of madness? What business would a pirate have near the kingdom except to steal?!” 

“I _told_ you, because I heard some drunk lad in the tavern in port talking about murdering a prince and becoming king.” He snapped, clearly unamused. Seonghwa’s brows went up for a moment before his face quickly masked the look when Hongjoong turned back to him. 

“Let him in. I’ll listen to his words. Come, pirate.” He gently pet Mars’ back and dismounted from her, nodding in the direction of the garden. 

“Prince Seonghwa-”

“Take Mars to her stables. If anything goes awry, I’m more than capable of handling myself.”

The guards sighed and nodded, taking the reins and leading her off while Hongjoong followed Seonghwa to the garden. They stopped in front of a tree with beautiful white flowers that rustled with the leaves in the night breeze. Seonghwa inhaled and turned, looking down at Hongjoong, who seemed more interested in the beautiful flowers at his feet. 

“Speak. Why are you really here? I can not fathom any reason a pirate would make up such a tall tale unless you thought you could sway my family or I for some form of monetary gain.” 

Hongjoong lifted his gaze and rolled his eyes. Seonghwa bristled from the move, but waited for an answer. 

“I have no interest in lying. I do not have any interest in swindling, either, lad. I may be a pirate, and I could care less if you believe me, but I am different than whatever your connotation of what that title means. If I would steal from a royal family, I wouldn’t be so brazen to walk up to the gates like some kind of fool.” He grunted, crossing his arms over his chest. Seonghwa pursed his lips, watching him carefully. 

“So-”

“_So_, I was in the tavern, and this lad was talking-rather loudly-about how he couldn’t believe Prince Seonghwa-you, I presume-would turn down some marriage proposal. He was with some thuggish looking goons and they said something about a princess not being happy. The gist of it is, they want your head, mate. What you do with this information is your own business, but I know I’d lose sleep if I didn’t even give you a fair warning. Heavens know those guards won’t be telling you any time soon, not with the threat of ‘their entire bloodline’ being wiped out.” Hongjoong told him, stretching his arms. 

“That’s all. Nothing more, nothing less. I guess watch your back around that one, mate. He seems to think more with pride than any rational thoughts in his mind.” 

Seonghwa reviewed him for a long moment before he closed his eyes, processing what he was told. 

When he opened them, he nodded behind Hongjoong. 

“Very well. If that is all, I’ll see you out, pirate.” 

“Much appreciated.” 

Hongjoong sent Seonghwa one glance over his shoulder before he started making his way down to the port, his hands behind his head. He hummed, thinking of ways he could expand his crew now when he heard a whistle from his left. 

Pausing, he looked in the direction of the sound, finding a woman shrouded in a cloak beckoning him over to a dark spot between two buildings. He looked around before pointing to himself. When she nodded, walked closer cautiously. 

“Do you need something, ma’am?” He inquired, tilting his head as he stopped a few feet away from her. She nodded, lowering her hood to look at him, her beautiful blonde hair secured in a fishtail braid that disappeared down into her cloak. One look at her, and Hongjoong had a feeling his night was going to get a lot more complicated. 

“I heard your claims from the guards regarding my sons. Can you please tell me yourself? I’d like to hear it from you, since you came to my castle, stranger.” She whispered. Hongjoong nodded, explaining once more what he heard in the tavern. 

When he was finished, she had tears in her eyes, but she shook her head, standing straighter as she looked up at him. 

“May I ask for a burdensome task?” She inquired, looking around to make sure no one was near or passing. Hongjoong nodded once, unable to deny a mother looking so close to being frantic. 

“Please...until your ship is to sail out of these ports and leave these waters, can you please protect my son? The prince-Seonghwa-is my first and only born child and I...I would sooner give my life than have Zafer harm him over this. Please...I don’t want to lose him. Until I can come up with a permanent solution, take this, and help my son.” She urged, pushing a velvet pouch into his hands. Hongjoong could tell from the weight of it, there was gold inside. 

“Wait, I don’t-”

“_Please._ I don’t have the strength to protect him, but you...you can. Please.” She pleaded, close to falling to her knees to beg. Hongjoong stopped her, squeezing her hands. 

“I...I’ll do my best, Ma’am.” 

She smiled at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand before she took his hands in hers. 

“Thank you, stranger. Thank you. In the event that anything goes awry, horns will be sounded. I pray we won’t need them, but if we do, please make haste to the castle and take my son and I aboard, alright? I’d sooner flee this country than have my son lose his life from it’s kingdom’s betrayal.” 

Hongjoong nodded, his brow pinched up in worry. 

How the hell did he get himself in this situation?

_=3 Days Later=_

The sound of glass shattering abruptly woke Seonghwa up in the middle of the night. His eyes narrowed in the darkness as screams flooded the halls, followed by shouting and more crashing. 

He threw himself out of bed, grabbing his falcata in an instant, eyes narrowed. 

Could it be…?

His musing was interrupted by something banging on his door. His grip on his falcata tightened as he watched the door. 

“Seonghwa! Baby! Please, we must run!”

His heart thumped against his chest as he briskly crossed the room, throwing open the door to look at his mother. She huffed, holding her bloodied side as she looked up at him. His eyes widened.

“Mother-”

“We have to run. Zafer...he..he’s teamed up with Valentina’s men and they-” She trembled, a faraway look in her eyes as she recalled watching them slay her husband. Seonghwa noticed the extra blood on her gown and swallowed down the question at the tip of his tongue. 

“You, are you harmed, too?” He inquired. She nodded, looking down at the gash at her side before she shook her head and pulled him out of the room, rushing down the hallway. 

“It’s small, they sliced me when I made a move to escape. We have to escape...I...I asked for aid days ago in the event that this happened. The horns were sounded, we just have to make it to port.” She hastily told him. He frowned, opening his mouth to ask her what she meant when there was the sound of a blade dragging against the ground. They stopped, watching as one of Valentina’s men rounded the corner. He paused, tilting his head as he raised his blade, eyes narrowed. 

“Look what we found. You made this so much more messy than it needed to be, lady. All we wanted was the blonde, now the King is dead and we have to kill you, as well.” he sighed, shaking his head. Seonghwa drew his falcata, his lips curled into a snarl. 

“You can only try. I hope you have made your peace to whatever gods you pray to.” He barked, rushing down the hall. His mother jolted, watching both sides of the hall in worry as her son clashed with the man. 

The man’s fighting style was wild. He relied on broad, powerful swings that left him open to attack. Seonghwa blocked whatever came his way with his free hand, using his falcata to block the moves while he swung his long legs, kicking in the man’s knee. He barked in surprise and Seonghwa swung his hand back, unphased by the blood that came out as the man’s arm suddenly dropped, detached from his body. 

His eyes widened and he screamed. Seonghwa kicked him in the chest, eyes forward as he slammed the blade down, silencing the screams in an instant. 

His mother rushed up to him as he snatched the blade out, wiping his bloody face with shaky hands. He sent her an apologetic look at the sight before taking her hand again, rushing in the direction of the stairs. 

“There he is! Get him!”

Seonghwa gently pushed his mother aside, taking off once more to fight the next three men they encountered. She bit her lip, watching her son fight in a flurry of motion, rage on his bloodied face. Seonghwa plunged the curved sword into one man’s chest, snatching it out in an instant to turn and elbow another in the face. 

The third man charged him, pushing him all the way into the wall. They exchanged blows, punching one another until their lips were busted open. Queen Daliah rushed up to the men with a vase in her hand, smashing it over his head to disorient him while Seonghwa pushed him into the final man, making him accidentally stab him. 

The Queen pulled a dagger from her gown, stabbing the man in the neck as he struggled to pull his sword free. Seonghwa watched the men fall and looked at his mother, frowning at the hysteric look in her eyes as she struggled not to break down. 

“Mother...I’m sorry, let’s go.” He pulled the sword out of the dead man’s hands and turned to the end of the hall, gritting his teeth. He could feel his mother’s footsteps start to slow behind him as she struggled to keep up. She wasn’t used to running at all, especially not in intense conditions like these, and he imagined the rush of fighting for her life was beginning to tire her out. 

“Ah, where are we going?” 

They reached the stairway, stopping in their tracks when the large form of Valentina’s consultant sauntered into view. Franco tutted in disapproval, sending the dual wielding prince a look. 

“Oh? Is that for me? I hope you know how to use those.”

“Take another step towards my mother and I and you’ll find out.” He spat. Franco’s brows went up in faux surprise before he chuckled, taking a dramatic step forward. 

“Showtime, pretty boy.”

The two of them ran at each other, and Queen Daliah bit her lip, looking around for something she could use to help. Franco was larger than the other guards, and looked leagues more brutish than them, to boot. She was intimidated by the idea of getting anywhere near him.

As she looked around, she noticed a blur outside the window, her eyes lighting up when the familiar form of the pirate she asked to help, along with some other people, rushing into the courtyard. 

“They’re coming! They’re coming to help!” She turned, eyes widening when she saw Zafer approaching Seonghwa from behind as he busied himself with Franco. There was a falcata in his hand, as well, and from the runes etched into the blade, she could tell it was his father’s. 

“No!” She screamed, pulling her dagger out and rushing over to the fight, swinging at him. It drew the attention of all three men and Zafer stumbled, moving to stop her by grabbing her hand. 

“You murderer! I won’t let you take him!” She screamed, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to wrestle her hand free. Seonghwa turned to intervene, but Franco took the opportunity, slashing wildly at his face. 

The prince barked in pain, shuffling away. Zafer pushed the queen away, swinging haphazardly in an attempt to slice Seonghwa’s chest open. He missed, but the broad cut went through the blonde prince’s night shirt, gashing open his night shirt, cutting deep into his shoulder. 

Franco readied himself for another strike, lifting his blade and thrusting with all his might at Seonghwa. 

“SEONGHWA!”

The blonde was hit in the side by his mother’s body, all but pushing him down the stairs as she shoved him. He tumbled down the carpeted stairs, nearly dropping his falcata in the process. When he looked up, his eyes widened, horror etching itself on his face as he saw his mother at the top of the stairs, her arms holding onto Franco’s blade as she stared defiantly at him, blood running down the corner of her lips, the sword going through and through her body.

“No...no no, MOTHER NO!” he screamed. She shook her head, taking one of her blood stained hands to wave him off when he moved to get up and rush back up the stairs. 

“G-go...run...find the pirate. Stay with him...please…” She coughed and Franco clicked his tongue in annoyance, snatching the blade out in one fluid motion. She cried out, falling to her knees before she sent Seonghwa a look over her shoulder. 

“Run, mon bébé, live for me.” She told him, tears rolling down her cheeks before she collapsed. Seonghwa shook from his spot, looking up as Zafer approached the stairs, looking down at the lifeless body of his stepmother. He rolled his shoulder and stepped over her. 

“Kill him.” 

“Merde,” Seonghwa cursed, getting to his feet and rushing down the stairs as the two closed in on him. He tried to focus on navigating through the castle while losing copious amounts of blood. The prince made a hard left, cursing again when he noticed this was a dead end hallway.

“Son of a bitch-”

“Language unbecoming of a king. Ah, wait, nevermind.” Franco chuckled, lingering behind Zafer as the two closed in. Seonghwa ignored him in lieu of leering at Zafer. 

He huffed, blood smeared on his face as he shook his head, still backing away from the duo. There was a sizable slice in his cheek, steel eyes full of tears he refused to shed,his heart thundering in his chest.

“_Why?_” He spat, pressing his back against the wall, the blonde hairs at the back of his head matted to the back of his neck. He held his falcata up, despite the blood running between his fingers. He could feel his arm scream in protest from the action, but he ignored it.

There was a humorless chuckle across from him.

“It’s just business, Seonghwa. You understand, right?" Zafer inquired, holding up the late king’s royal falcata in defiance. 

Seonghwa’s lip curled up, pushing himself off of the wall as the sound of their footsteps closed in on him. 

“Oh, I understand just fine, _brother._” He spat the word out like a curse. 

Zafer sneered at him, rushing forward, Franco moved to follow, but there was a tap at his shoulder, drawing his attention away. He turned, looking down to find a brunette stranger looking at him. 

“Who the hell-”

The man didn’t verbally say a word, pressing his palm to his chest with a spark of malice in his eyes. 

“That woman didn’t deserve what you did to her.” 

Seonghwa and Zafer exchanged blows as the end of the hall erupted into fire. The princes paused, eyes widened at the sudden fire trapping them in the hall. Seonghwa gritted his teeth, using the distraction to hit Zafer with the butt end of his sword. He reeled back, holding his nose as Seonghwa stabbed him in the thigh, bringing him to his knees. 

“All of this...all of this for what? For _what?!_” Seonghwa snarled. Zafer tried to swing the stolen falcata, but Seonghwa kicked him in the jaw, stepping on his chest as he looked down at him. 

“Because, Prince Seonghwa...this kingdom is _my_ birthright. Not yours.” He hissed defiantly. 

“Then burn down with it, you would have done so as it’s king, anyway.” he spat, driving the falcata down right over Zafer’s heart. 

He stood there, his eyes closed with his hands on the hilt of his falcata, waiting for the lick of the flames to meet him in the center of the hall. He had no energy to run and any attempt to hurl himself out of the window to safety would probably kill him, anyway. 

He noticed the heat in the room drop, and opened his eyes, looking down the hall where the fire was to find the pirate from before, approaching him with his eyes downcast.

“I...I wasn’t fast enough. They stopped us through the town and at the gates and I...I’m sorry.” he muttered. Seonghwa looked at him without a word.

“Why are you here, pirate?” His voice was tired, and Hongjoong didn’t blame him with the ordeal he’d went through. 

“She...the Queen asked me to protect you. Bang up job, I did. I’m sorry. Here-” He reached into his pocket, passing the velvet pouch to Seonghwa. The prince looked at him, eyes narrowed. 

“My mother paid you-”

“I didn’t want to take the money, mate. In fact, I haven’t opened it since she handed it to me. I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.” He sighed. Seonghwa looked at the pouch in his hand, a dazzling shade of emerald. His mother’s favorite color. 

He opened it, finding gold pieces within it, but at the very top was a small, folded up piece of paper. He opened it, his shoulders dropping when he realized it was his mother’s handwriting. 

_‘My sweet, if you’re reading this, you must have made it successfully to the man I hired to protect you. Regardless of what happens, you must flee this kingdom. If this message reaches you, know that Valentina and Zafer will start a war with us. Please, flee. I heard their plans though our guards on this night, and I fear for your life. Do not die for this country. Live for me, please, my sweet._

_I may not be with you, if you’re reading this. But I will always love you.’_

Seonghwa clenched his fist, the paper nearly tearing as tears rolled down his cheeks. Hongjoong watched as he leaned down, picking up the royal falcata on the ground beside Zafer’s body. He stumbled, dizzy from blood loss as he turned towards Hongjoong. 

“I see this kingdom has nothing for me, pirate. My mother paid you to take me aboard your ship. If I don’t bleed out before we get to port, I’d like to leave this land and never look back.” He grunted. Hongjoong noticed the excessive amounts of blood smeared all over Seonghwa and the way he swayed with every step and nodded, putting one of the taller man’s arms over his shoulder as he lead the way. 

_=Later=_

“He’s bled a lot lot, Cap’n. I don’t think he’ll make it.” Mina frowned, looking up at Hongjoong as she observed Seonghwa on one of their tables. Seonghwa groaned as she tightened the bandages, cracking his eyes open. 

"I...appreciate the help. I am sorry for burdening you." He groaned. Hongjoong looked down at his form, overcome with guilt. 

He wasn't fast enough to save both Seonghwa and Queen Daliah, but he could save Seonghwa now.

"Mina, can you step out for me?" He inquired. She looked up at him before looking over at Daniel, who was in the doorway. Daniel nodded, knowing full well where this was going.

"Aye, aye, Cap'n." She nodded and stood, sending Seonghwa a look before she left the room. Hongjoong sat in her place, looking down at Seonghwa. 

"My biggest blunder in this world is not being able to save my mother from her illness." He started. Seonghwa's brows furrowed, looking up at him in confusion. Hongjoong ran a hand through his hair.

"My second is not being able to save your mother. I...can't take back the past, but I can save you." He told him. Seonghwa closed his eyes, letting his head thump against the table.

"Are pirates normally this hospitable to those close to death?"

"I can't speak for others."

Seonghwa's lips quirked. 

"You don't need to fill me with false hope, pirate. You have no obligations to me."

Hongjoong paused for a moment before he reached into his boot, pulling out a dagger. 

"I may not have one to you, but I do to your mother." He murmured, cutting open his thumb. Seonghwa opened his beautiful gray eyes again, brow furrowing when he felt the prick of Hongjoong's blade against hand.

"What are you-"

"Forgive me, but I'd never live with myself if I let another mother down in this world. And that's...a very long time to not live with myself." He mused, pressing his bloodied thumb to Seonghwa's.

At first, nothing happened, and Hongjoong felt his heart sink. Was Hyuna lying when she said he could give others immortality?

Before he could panic, Seonghwa let out a small gasp, his eyes glinting before he let out a groan, passing out. Hongjoong blinked in surprise, expecting an explosion of power like when he was turned. 

"Well that was fast." An unfamiliar voice startled him and he looked up, finding a blonde man leaning in the doorway. Hongjoong bristled, a swirl of water circling around him and Seonghwa as he leered at the man.

"Who-"

"Relax, relax. Hyuna sent me to check up on you. Kind of a hassle when you're on the move, but I made it." He leaned over, looking at Seonghwa in interest.

"Apparently not a minute too soon, eh?"

"Hyuna...sent you?"

"Aye. My name is Dawn. I'm the first one she's ever turned. Ah, unrelated, but we're lovers, as well." He beamed proudly. Hongjoong relaxed and Dawn entered the cabin. 

"You are wondering why he's not showing signs of what power you gave to him, yes?" Dawn inquired, satisfied when Hongjoong nodded at him. 

“The full moon is the key. When you’re turned, you get your powers fully when the moon is highest in the sky on a night of the full moon. Judging from the sky when I came in-” Dawn hummed, leaning against the frame. 

“It’ll be weeks before whatever power you shared with him actually take effect. For the time being, he’s just an immortal with power lying dormant inside of him. Which is good for you, since Hyuna left out some important things when she turned you.”

“Like what?” 

“When the moon is high and your powers are ready, your demonic self takes over, and any strong force of negativity will try to take hold. Your powers will go wild if you don’t learn to control them and control both the ‘current’ you and the ‘demonic’ you. I imagine this one is going to create a mess when the moon is full, with all the negativity in him.” Dawn pointed at Seonghwa before he rolled his shoulder. 

“I’ll give you something, one from Hyuna and one from myself.” he walked over, putting his hand on top of Hongjoong’s head. There was a small pulse of light before he hummed, observing him.

“What did you do?” Hongjoong inquired. 

“From now on, when you share your powers, a mark will appear on the person you shared with. It’ll help you figure out who has what power. Well, if you know what you’re looking for.” he mused, smiling at the flat look Hongjoong gave him. 

“Anyway, Hyuna gave me a message, too. If you’re ever in trouble, know she’ll be watching over you with a murder of crows.”

“Murder of crows?”

“Mm. Though they may not be _actual_ birds.”

“God, can you demons be any more vague?”

“I mean...yes? Also, you’re a demon now too, so...”

Hongjoong leered at him and Dawn turned, hiding a laugh behind his hand. 

“Anyway, make sure you’re careful when you turn people. Don’t wanna get an overly negative demon turned on a full moon, yknow? They could very well sink this ship if you can’t stop them and tame them.” he informed him before he winked over his shoulder, disappearing in a small puff of smoke. 

Hongjoong rubbed his temples and shook his head, letting it fall onto the table beside Seonghwa’s body so he could finally rest. 

What a long night.

_=~=_

“So, one more time for me,” Seonghwa laughed, looking over at Hongjoong as the young captain rubbed his temples, unnamused. 

“I’m a demon. I saved your life by performing a blood pact with you. You’re like me now, an immortal. And on the next full moon, you’re demonic powers will awaken.” 

Seonghwa snorted, but Daniel only nodded from beside Hongjoong. 

“Take your bandages off, then.” He urged him, waving a hand. “There’s no way your wounds would have healed overnight without some form of magics, yes?” he hummed, sending Hongjoong a wink when the younger man sent him a thankful smile.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and moved to take the bandage off of his cheek, running his fingers over the skin there.

_Smooth._

He blinked, eyes wide as he touched his face firmly, lips parting when he felt a distinct lack of a gash there. Hell, he didn't feel any pain, either. 

He tore his shirt off, pulling at his bandages until they were off, lips parting as he looked at his shoulder, uninjured and fully functioning without a persistent spark of pain.

"What the hell did you do-"

Hongjoong rolled his eyes.

"Maybe I should've just let him pass peacefully. For my sanity." He grunted, standing up.

"If you're feeling better, then, get up and follow me. From now on, you're part of my crew. Everyone has to pull their own weight and a lot of people helped you escape, Prince Seonghwa, not just me." He informed him. Seonghwa's lip curled. 

"Don't call me Prince anymore."

"Fair enough. Let's get to work then, Seonghwa."

"I still have questions."

"I'll answer them after you swab the deck."

_=2 Weeks Later=_

"They're at it again?" Psy hummed, watching as Seonghwa and Hongjoong bickered. Seonghwa had gotten into the habit of calling Hongjoong 'petit putois' idly and it often made the small demon bristle.

"What does that mean?!"

"Non, if I tell you, it wouldn't be fun, now would it?"

"All I know is, you called me small, didn't you?"

Seonghwa's lips twitched, humming as he looked away. He often mulled around the ship, lost in his own thoughts with a clenched jaw, but something about Hongjoong made some of the tension in his shoulders loosen.

"I don't know. Is that what that means?"

"_Listen-_"

The two went back at it and Daniel smiled, crossing his arms. 

"They look good together." He mused, watching Seonghwa stroll away from their slightly annoyed captain. Psy tilted his head, a fond look in his eyes.

"Ah yes, they remind me of a certain two people when they crossed paths." He replied, glancing at Daniel. The man smiled, closing his eyes.

"I do suppose they share some qualities."

_=~The Night of the Full Moon~=_

Hongjoong was restless, pacing as he stood on the deck with Seonghwa. He checked his watch, unsure of when exactly the moon was the highest.

"What exactly are we waiting for?" Seonghwa inquired, looking towards Hongjoong. Hongjoong stood across from him, holding out both of his hands. In one, was a ball of wind, the other held a plume of fire.

"I gave you one of my powers when I turned you. Tonight is the night you get them fully according to Dawn. I have to help you control them, so your demon self doesn't destroy my ship."

Seonghwa nodded, looking at his hands.

"I feel fine, though."

Hongjoong shook his hands, making both balls of elemental magic disappear before he focused on Seonghwa.

The clouds obscuring the moon rolled past and Hongjoong felt the night air dip into a chill.

Seonghwa froze, his brows twitching. 

"What-" he stopped himself, clenching his shirt as he fell to his knees. Hongjoong cursed, quickly making his way over to him as snow began to fall from the sky.

"Seonghwa-"

"Don't touch me."

He stopped in his tracks, watching the blonde of Seonghwa's hair bleed into an inky black that rivaled even Hyuna's. Seonghwa trembled, a low, pained laugh leaving his throat as he hunched over. 

Hongjoong shook his head and continued approaching the ex prince as the snow turned into hail.

"Talk to me? Are you in pain?"

"I don't need your help. I don't need anyone."

Seonghwa lifted his head and Hongjoong noticed the gray of his eyes was a snow white color. There were ruby marks going down his face, from above his brows to the middle of his cheeks like gashes, and when his lips curled up in a snarl, Hongjoong noticed their bloody red color. 

Seonghwa growled at their proximity and swung, shards of ice flying full speed at Hongjoong. He flinched at first, but threw up his hand, a wall of fire melting the shards before he frowned. 

"Seonghwa, calm down."

"Cap'n! The sea is freezin!'" a crew member cried out from behind him. Hongjoong noticed the ship slowing and looked back at Seonghwa, who had began to cry, cursing in several languages as he swayed. 

"Gone, gone, she's gone. I don't need anyone anymore. No one. Stay away from me. Don't touch me." He mumbled. Hongjoong shook his head and approached him again, ignoring the next shard of ice that flew his way and the way it cut into his cheek. 

"No. Stay away. Get away from me. I don't need you! I don't need anyone!" He barked, a circle of ice swirling around them. 

"Hongjoong, he's gonna destroy the hull if the ice keeps forming!" Daniel barked from above. Hongjoong only nodded, continuing to close in on Seonghwa. 

"She would be sad to hear you say that, wouldn't she, matey?"

Seonghwa bristled, the ice closing in around them as he turned his furious gaze at Hongjoong. 

"You know nothing of my mother!"

"I know she was a beautiful queen with a beautiful soul and with her last days she wanted nothing more than for her son to live. Is isolating yourself a way to live? Would she be happy knowing you're pushing everyone away?"

"I do _not_ need anyone! The last time I trusted someone, he killed my only blood related family left and tried to kill me!"

"The last time you trusted someone, he took you aboard this ship and gave you another chance at life." 

Seonghwa's chest heaved as he stared at Hongjoong, the ice around them thickening.

"You...you'll just-"

"You can wound me with this ice, but if you compare me to that coward of a prince, I'll set you ablaze myself."

Hongjoong's eyes were adamant as he stopped in front of Seonghwa. The older man stared at him, tears rolling down his marked cheeks. Hongjoong extended a hand to him. 

"It's okay to lean on someone again, Seonghwa. We're not him. We're an honest family. You're here now. I won't let anything else happen to you."

Seonghwa looked at his hand before he stepped into his space, his feet at either side of Hongjoong's. He pulled him into a hug, sobbing against his shoulder as the smaller demon closed his eyes. 

The ice crumbled, melting away as Seonghwa relaxed, the demon side of him no longer raging. Hongjoong continued to rub his back, standing at the center of the deck with him.

_=The Next Day=_

"I'm sorry. It was unbecoming of me to-"

"Stop apologizing. It's not your style."

"Just let me apologize, I put the crew in danger-"

"Seonghwa."

Hongjoong stopped abruptly, turning to send Seonghwa a small, tired smile. He had stayed up all night to ensure Seonghwa didn't have another episode, and fatigue was clear on his features. 

"You worry too much. It's alright. I'd do anything for my crew." He pointed to the small compass-shaped mark on Seonghwa's right wrist. It matched the one on his left, though the needle pointed in different directions. 

"Just take care of yourself and remember to lean on us from now on, okay?" He urged. Seonghwa hummed and nodded.

"Right...I understand. Thank you, mon petit putois." 

"No problem- wait. You added a word this time. What does that mean?!"

Seonghwa smiled and walked past him.

"Just a term of endearment, all for you, Captain."

_=Months Later=_

Seonghwa ran a hand through his hair as he entered Hongjoong's room, finding him looking at maps once again.

"Captain, you should be sleeping. Staying up late to look at the same old maps is the reason you're so exhausted." He told him. Hongjoong shook his head, pointing to one point one of them.

"I was told this area is rich in resources. We can head here after we leave the next stop-" he was cut off by Seonghwa pulling the maps away from him. 

"Tomorrow. You can look at them tomorrow. Go to sleep, putois."

Hongjoong rolled his eyes. 

"You're never gonna tell me what that means, are you?"

"Tomorrow, if you sleep right now." 

"Lying doesn't suit you."

Seonghwa laughed, a smile coming to his face as he looked down at the seated captain. Hongjoong shook his head, despite the smile on his face as he made his way to his bed. Seonghwa followed him, shrugging off his jacket as he watched Hongjoong haphazardly toss aside his shirt. 

"Eyeballing your captain? I didn't realize my new First Mate was such a hound." Hongjoong teased, turning to face Seonghwa. The blonde pirate idly ran his tongue across his lips.

"Daniel gave me this position because I'm a capable person for the job. Besides, I haven't heard you complain about this hound yet, Captain Hongjoong." He teased, crowding against Hongjoong. The brunette bit back the witty comeback he had in lieu of pulling Seonghwa in for a kiss, pulling them into his bed.

"You talk too much. Either kiss me, or shut up and go to sleep."

Seonghwa smirked against his lips, their noses brushing against each other. 

"Aye, aye, Captain~"


	3. Third Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Woosan Origin Chapter:  
Chapter warnings for:  
Mentions and depictions of illnesses  
Sexual content  
Graphic violence and blood  
Character Death  
Please take care reading, everytiny

Wooyoung had hoped he would be starting the next chapter of his life. 

That his weak and frail body wouldn’t hold him back, and that he could become a man strong enough to make his family proud. He would come back and support them with the gold and silver he got from his job, and it would all work out.

He stood on the deck, waving goodbye to his tearful parents, a wide smile on his face as he did so. He would make them proud, he’d come back healthy and strong-

“Alright, enough of that. Get them under into the hold with the others.”

His arm was grabbed roughly as he was shoved into line with the other men that had eagerly joined the crew. A frown came to his face as he was shackled, pushed into an area of the ship where there were others, all of them looking worse for the wear, beaten and bruised as they looked up at the newcomers. 

“What in the hell-”

The man beside him was jabbed sharply for speaking, and all of them were lead-rather forcefully-deeper into the hold, forced to sit beside the people already shackled together inside.

“I demand you tell us what this is all about!” The man from before snarled, tugging at his shackles uncomfortably. There were heavy footsteps that approached them, and the hulking form of a man approached them. He kicked the rowdy man in his chest before nodding towards some of the scowling sailors. They nodded in agreement and rained down on the man, kicking and beating him while the intimidating man calling the shots rolled his neck on his shoulders, looking towards the remaining cowering men. 

“Listen up! When yer on my ship, ya listen to my rules! Any disobedience will earn ya a beating and no dinner, understand?”

Wooyoung frowned, slightly trembling as he and the men shackled behind him looked up in terror at the hulking form of the captain. They were too afraid to respond, and apparently this was the wrong answer, as he loomed over the brunette, grabbing him by the hair. 

“Shall I make an example out of ya? I asked a damn question!” He snapped. Wooyoung whimpered, eyes wide as he looked up at the captain. 

“We heard you, you loud idiot.” 

A voice sneered from the left and Woo looked over, spotting a man from the group that was already onboard, his lip curled up into a snarl as he glared at the captain, the hatred boiling in his eyes. The captain dropped Wooyoung in an instant, lumbering footsteps heading over to the other man. 

“Ah, still haven’t learned your lesson, eh? I’ll be sure to beat it out of ya before we get to port.” He threatened before one of his heavy boots came down on the dark brunette’s thigh. He hissed in pain, and the other chained men and women looked away as the captain beat him, careful not to hit his face. 

“We’ve got people paying top dollar for ya rats! Unless ya want to die before we get to port or be like this sorry welp, you’ll learn to obey the pecking order!” He barked, holding up the bruised man before dropping him onto the cold wood, scoffing in his direction before he left, some of the crew members in tow. 

Wooyoung frowned, quickly making his way over to the man. He was the only one to do so, and he hesitated before he crouched down to meet his gaze. 

“A-are you okay? Can I help?” He whispered, frowning at the way the man rolled up the leg to his trousers, a large purple bruise adorning the cream colored skin there. The man shook his head, hissing when Wooyoung’s fingers brushed over the abused flesh. 

“Ah, I’m sorry! G-goodness, why are they doing this to you?" He pulled his hand back, looking up to meet the man's dark eyes. 

He looked like an injured animal, his hair messy and his feline eyes dark, watching his every move. Once he decided Wooyoung wasn't any form of threat, he ran a hand through his dark hair. 

"You still haven't gotten the full picture, hm?" He pushed himself up and waved Wooyoung off when the man tried to help once more.

"This is a slave ship. They're selling us off."

Wooyoung felt like the ground below him opened up, springing to his feet as he looked around frantically. 

"Wait- no! My family!" He screamed, moving to dart towards where the captain disappeared to. He made it a few steps before one of the sailors that stayed behind grabbed him by the back of his shirt, punching him square in the chest before dropping him down beside the dark haired man from before. 

"Aye, settle down, you! It would be an awful shame if I had to mess up such a pretty face, got it?" He growled, motioning to the knife strapped to his waist. Wooyoung swallowed thickly and made himself smaller, looking away from him.

Satisfied, the man walked back to his spot.

"They...they said they could get me a cure and that I could work and support my family-"

"They spun you a lovely tale, did they? They only told my family that we had a choice. Send off one of my sisters or send me off. As you can see, they made their decision. Name's Choi San, by the way." The man, San, extended his hand to him. Wooyoung bit back the tears that sprung in his eyes, but it was a useless effort, and they rolled down his cheeks as he shook San's hand.

"J-Jung Wooyoung…"

"It's okay to cry, lad. It's the only way you'll be able to sleep the first few nights, anyway."

Wooyoung curled up on the cold deck, surrounded by other shackled men and women, and promptly broke down crying.

-1 Week Later-

"I brought what you asked for, Captain." Wooyoung scurried into the captain's quarters, handing the captain a bowl with some freshly cooked meat and cheese.

It was still early in their voyage, so the crew got to enjoy the luxury of the food before it spoiled and had to be discarded.

Well-

Most of the crew, anyway. 

Wooyoung and the other slaves were forced to eat small rations of beans and sea biscuits while the crew enjoyed the finer foods. 

"Good job, cabin boy. Ya keep up the work and I may 'ave to keep ya aboard." The captain joked before bursting into mean spirited laughter.

"Leave me be, I'll find something for ya to do later."

Wooyoung nodded, biting his lip to keep his expression in check before he hurried away.

As soon as he stepped out of the cabin, he closed his eyes, breathing in the sea air deeply. He had gotten used to that much, at least.

When he opened his eyes, he looked down, frowning when he saw San swabbing the deck. He had been forced to be a swabbie, spending most of his days either above or below the deck, swabbing it to keep it in good condition. 

His constant defiance had lead to him being beaten and often Wooyoung had to watch on as the older man was left without dinner or left to shiver after having water dumped on him at night.

The younger man nearly bumped into another sailor, but he pivoted, scurrying away with a quick apology before he could be scolded. He made his way down to San, picking up a mop so he could swab beside him.

San glanced up at him before turning his eyes back to his work.

"Can't you just behave? I don't know how you're still standing with all the beatings you've taken…" Wooyoung started, breaking the pseudo peaceful silence between them. San’s nose scrunched in distaste before he leaned against the mop in his hands, sending him a flat look. 

“Behave? For them? I’d rather die.”

“You  _ will  _ if you keep this up. Don’t you want to be free and see your family again?” 

Wooyoung regretted the question as soon as it asked it, watching the way San’s face darkened. The older man’s jaw set for a moment and Wooyoung winced, internally cursing himself. 

“How about you worry about yourself and I’ll worry about me? You cling on to whatever dreams you have of escaping here and stay out of my business.” San snapped, grabbing the handle to his mop in a near white knuckled grip before he turned, brushing past him to move to a different part of the ship. Wooyoung looked down at his feet, sighing as he began his own swabbing. 

“Dammit…” He huffed out, disappointed in himself.

-Later-

Wooyoung looked over, finding San laying on his side, eyes closed as he rested. He wasn’t sure if he was asleep or not, but he noticed the man hadn’t been able to eat. He looked down at his bowl, noticing he had gotten a slice of meat for his work pleasing the captain with running errands. 

Nodding once, he decided he would make it up to the older man for insulting him earlier and scooted over to San, gently setting his bowl down in front of him. San didn’t move from his spot, but Wooyoung wasn’t dissuaded. He scooted the bowl closer, gently touching San’s shoulder. 

“Why are you bothering with that one, lad? We all know the Cap’n doesn’t like him. You’d be better off fending for yourself.” A woman scolded him. Wooyoung smiled politely at her and turned back to San, tapping him a bit more firmly. 

“You should listen to her.” came the disgruntled voice of San as he opened his eyes. Wooyoung ran a hand through his hair, frowning at the sticky feel of the sea salt from the ocean breeze. He put his hand down and nodded towards the bowl.

“Eat. You didn’t get dinner again today.”

“I don’t need your handouts.”

“It’s not a handout. It’s an apology.”

San’s eyes drifted down to the bowl and Wooyoung held it up to him, clearly having no intention of taking no for an answer. He sighed and sat up, taking the bowl. Wooyoung sat back on his haunches, smiling slightly as he watched him eat, looking away when San sent him a look.

He settled with sitting beside San, humming gently as the others around them chattered quietly. Before he noticed, he had begun to sing, his voice drifting through the hull. 

_ "Why,  _

_ Why am I afraid?  _

_ A cloud of mist…" _

San looked up, having been so hungry he downed all of Wooyoung’s food before the younger man could take the bowl back. He blinked a few times, noticing some of the people around them had also paused their ministrations, listening to Wooyoung as he sang, gently tapping his feet against the wood of the deck.

_ "I can’t see anything on the side of the road _

_ Between the dim lights  _

_ Walking on a fearful night  _

_ Walking again on a scary night…" _

San set the bowl down, his gaze softening as Wooyoung sang, his body swaying as he did. Despite his situation, he looked calm, his face almost angelic as the words drifted out of his mouth.

_ "I looked at that far away place  _

_ A gleaming cloud of light…" _

  
  


“That’s enough of that, if you lot are finished eating, get to sleep. Lights out!” One of the sailors barked, moving to blow the flames out for their lanterns. He tossed a few blankets into the room, uncaring of who got what, and closed the door to the hold, locking it behind him.

The captives broke into a low, unhappy grumble, reaching for the blankets in a hurry. 

Wooyoung reached out, but yelped as a larger man reached over him, snatching it over his head. He frowned, sighing. Tonight would have to be another night of sleeping curled up with himself for warmth, he supposed. 

Something draped itself over his shoulders and he blinked, looking up in the darkness of the hold, squinting in confusion. 

“You shared your meal with me, so now you can share this blanket with me.” it was San, his voice a little less rough than usual. Wooyoung smiled slightly and nodded before realizing the other man probably couldn’t see him. 

He scooted closer, curling up as San pulled the blanket tight against them both. 

“Thank you...for the meal. Sorry about being so sensitive. I really shouldn’t care about my family being brought up like that.” San muttered, closing his eyes again. Wooyoung bit his lip for a moment before he set his head beside San’s shoulder. 

“No...I shouldn’t have brought them up, especially knowing what happened to you and how you got here. It’s not my place. I’m sorry.” 

San hummed, feeling exhaustion pull at his sore muscles and mind. There was no more conversation between the two as they drifted to sleep.

-2 Weeks Later-

“So, what’s that song you keep singing while you work?” 

Wooyoung looked up, holding a sponge in his hands as he washed the grime off his body. It had rained a fair share the past week, so the captain had ordered the entire crew-captives included-to wash themselves. He mentioned the foul stench of them combined ruined his appetite, but no one questioned him, and everyone took the opportunity in stride.

He looked down at himself, frowning at the bruises and scratches he’d gotten over the three weeks at sea, both from the captain’s violent outbursts with him for not being able to do tasks as quickly as the other captives because of his body’s weak nature and from the hard labor in, general. 

“My mom would sing to me a lot growing up. She stopped when I got older, but I liked that song so I remember how the beginning goes.” He admitted, quickly wringing the sponge out and dipping it back into one of the various buckets littering the room before the clean rainwater got tainted with dirt from the others. San did the same, taking Wooyoung’s sponge to wash his back idly. 

“Have you considered adding more lyrics to it? You have...a nice singing voice.” San admitted, clearing his throat as his clean cheeks flushed. Wooyoung looked up at him, sending him a doe eyed look before his cheeks rose, a smile blooming on his face. 

“No, but if you’d like, you can always help me?” He suggested. San looked at him in surprise, pointing at himself. 

“Me?”

“Who else would I be talking to?” Wooyoung laughed lightly and San noticed the way his heart beat harder when the younger man settled down and looked up at him again. 

“It would be nice to make more lyrics with you, San. It would be more special.”

San cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his own washing, unable to calm the thundering in his chest. 

“Ah...I guess I could give it a shot.”

-2 Weeks Later-

_ "If if if  _

_ If there was another way  _

_ Maybe maybe maybe  _ _   
_ _ Could I not be afraid?..." _

San sang quietly as he looked around as he and Wooyoung snuck out of the hold. They had made bonds with the other captives, so when the two managed to worm their way out of the hold to sneak more food out for them all after hours, nobody dared to rat the duo out. 

“Shh, we’ll get caught!” Wooyoung warned him, though he smiled, squeezing San’s wrist as they snuck past some sleepy sailors that were supposed to be keeping watch. San looked down at their hands, moving down to lace their fingers together, pulling Wooyoung to a full stop. 

“Ah? What are you doing? We have to hurry-”

“We should run away.” San blurted. 

Wooyoung blinked, looking around before he leaned into San’s space, a playful smile on his face as he tapped San’s temple. 

“Did you hit your head? Run away? We’re in the middle of the ocean-”

“We’ll be at shore in a few weeks’ time. We can run away when we get to port. Start over.”

Wooyoung’s smile fell and his lips parted as he observed San’s face, finding he was dead serious. San lifted a hand and cupped Wooyoung’s cheek, holding his gaze. 

“We don’t know if we’ll be sent off to the same place...and honestly, even if we are, I doubt we’ll be able to be together like this and I want to-” San bit his lip and leaned closer, slightly crowding Wooyoung against a dark corner just in case someone happened to walk by. “I want to stay with you.” He admitted. 

Wooyoung’s eyes watered slightly and he opened his mouth to respond when he was pulled in completely, gasping ever so slightly as San pressed their lips together. He watched him with half lidded eyes, his face hot as San kissed him delicately. He relaxed, grabbing his shirt as he kissed him back, a blush on his face when San broke the kiss as soon as he initiated it. 

“Let’s run away.” He repeated, putting their heads together. Wooyoung smiled softly, cupping San’s cheek.

“I’ll go with you. Don’t leave me behind, okay?” He teased as they turned their attention back to the kitchen. San tutted, shaking his head. 

“As if I would ever entertain the thought of leaving you. You’re stuck with me.”

Wooyoung’s blush only darkened as they slipped through the ship, snatching as many sea biscuits, dried meat, and beans that they could before they made their way back successfully. 

“You two are amazing.” one of the captives cheered.

They smiled, passing out the extra food to everyone as soon as they got back, settling down once they were satisfied everyone had gotten an extra snack. San settled behind Wooyoung, pulling him tight against him, enjoying the added heat of the extra blanket they got from a younger girl, as a sign of appreciation for their dangerous food mission. 

Wooyoung put his hands over San’s, closing his eyes, enjoying the sound of the other man’s strong heartbeat.

Like music to his ears.

-3 Weeks Later-

_ "So please  _

_ Tell me it’s all right  _

_ In this uneasy mist  _

_ Things are ephemeral  _

_ So please  _

_ If this is my way  _

_ Hold my hand  _

_ So we won’t wander for much longer…" _

San ran a hand through his hair before he looked down at Wooyoung, smiling fondly at the peaceful way his breathing started to even out, sleepily singing himself to sleep. 

They had managed to go most of the voyage with only minor incidents here and there. No one was none the wiser to their plan to escape, either. 

Neither the sailors or the other captives. 

In an ideal world, San would’ve been able to save them all, but it was already risky enough with the two of them and he couldn’t jeopardize freedom by trying to play a hero.

"We'll be in port soon." San whispered, running a hand through the younger man's dark hair. Wooyoung cracked his eyes open, smiling up at him, his eyes shining in adoration despite the bruise adorning his swelled cheek. The Captain hadn’t taken too kindly to the way Wooyoung adopted San’s sassy manner of speaking and it had gotten him clocked not too long ago.

"We'll run. I can be strong if I'm with you. We'll see the world and how beautiful it is without these chains on us." Wooyoung sleepily mused, finding it harder to keep his eyes open. San felt his heart growing heavy, biting his bottom lip hard.

"I've already seen  _ my _ entire world. He's right in front of me."

Wooyoung moaned quietly in his sleep, though it didn’t seem like he heard the older man. San exhaled and continued combing his fingers through Wooyoung’s hair. 

He had to keep him safe. He had to.

-Port Arrival-

Hongjoong sighed as Seonghwa and him exited a shop empty handed. 

“How is it no one in this area knows anything about this treasure? Did I look at the map wrong?”

“Non, I just think it doesn’t exist. We may just have to call it a loss, mon putois.”

Hongjoong groaned before nodding, sticking his hands in his pockets. 

“I suppose. We should pick up some fresh food, since we’re here. Could check out the market and see what type of spices and meat they have.” He licked his lips, happily walking ahead while Seonghwa followed close behind, the smallest of smiles on his face. 

“I personally feel like we should look into getting some-”

There was a crash not to far off and the two looked up, eyes widening when they saw two men running full speed in their direction. Seonghwa grabbed Hongjoong’s elbow, pulling him back hard before they could run into the duo. 

As they passed, Hongjoong noticed the brunette with the slightly lighter hair was horribly out of breath, tears rolling down his cheeks as the other man dragged him along.

“I don’t wanna d-die, San!” 

“Keep running!”

They disappeared down the street and the two pirates exchanged a look, brows furrowed. 

“Strange. We shouldn’t get involved, though.” Seonghwa shook his head. Before he could take a step away from his spot, a group of men stormed past them like bats out of hell, followed by an enraged hulking man. 

“Get the slaves! When ya do, bring them to me! I’ll have their damn heads!” He snarled.

Seonghwa huffed in annoyance, looking left and right for any more people potentially involved in the chaos. When he was satisfied that there were none, he turned to Hongjoong to mention the market once more. 

The smaller pirate was no longer at his side though, and he had already taken off down the street, his bangs flying up from the sudden sprint. Seonghwa cursed under his breath and took off after him. 

“Of course we can't just have one normal day in a port town, can we?” He hissed to himself, quickly catching up to Hongjoong with long strides. 

“What are you doing?! This has nothing to do with us! We don’t know who the hell those two are, they could be criminals!” He hissed, brows going up in surprise when Hongjoong ignored him completely, quickening his strides as he caught sight of the two men from before. 

“Seonghwa, we’re pirates.  _ We’re  _ criminals. And did you see the look in his eyes? I can’t just leave them like that.” Hongjoong growled, determination shining in his eyes as he wove through the people in the street, looking for a way they could take a shortcut. 

“Of  _ course _ you can’t!” The blonde first mate huffed, making a hard turn to follow the smaller man. 

“Fall in love, everyone says,” Seonghwa grunted, nearly colliding with a woman holding an armful of fruit and vegetables. “It’ll be  _ fun _ , they say!” He continued, venting to himself as Hongjoong made a sharp left, following him down the less crowded street. 

“You definitely won’t spend your free time chasing two random strangers through port towns!” 

“Shut up and follow me!” Hongjoong barked. Seonghwa pursed his lips, but obeyed, knowing Hongjoong didn’t often use that tone or expression with any of them on the crew unless he was deathly serious. 

“Yeah, yeah, lead the way. You owe me a full meal after this.”

-

Wooyoung felt like his lungs were screaming. His legs were on fire and part of him was worried San would rip his arm clean out of the socket. The smaller man’s vision was blurry from the tears and sweat that ran down into his eyes. 

“S-san...San, please, I don’t think I can keep going-”

“No, Woo we just have to get far enough and we can rest.”

Wooyoung panted, he may have been on the boat for two months and that may have helped condition his frail body, but he still was much weaker than San, and he could feel his body locking up from the strain. 

“Let me go, San! We’ll both get caught if you keep holding onto me!”

“Absolutely not!”

Wooyoung was ready to protest again, but he tripped hard, crashing to the ground. San cursed and stopped immediately, turning around to help him up. His eyes widened when he saw the large scratch that adorned Wooyoung’s leg. 

“Shit, you’re hurt. C’mon, I’ll carry you-”

“We found em!”

San froze, looking up, throat going dry when he saw the alley they had ran into being cut off by the irate sailors. He glanced from left to right, knowing he wouldn’t be able to pick Wooyoung up and flee fast enough. 

Still, he put the smaller man’s arm over his shoulders, picking him up and backing away slowly while Wooyoung whined. 

“San-”

“I’m not leaving you.” San pushed him behind him, glaring down at the approaching pirates. The Captain pushed past the group, face red as he held up a pistol, snarling at the two. 

“What did I tell ya? To learn to obey! I figured you would be a problem-” He pointed in the direction of San before moving slightly between his shoulder, aiming at Wooyoung. 

“But you? I assumed you would behave yourself. Guess I should’ve just cut my losses and just killed you when I had the chance, but now I have to lose two products instead of one.” 

He clicked the safety off of the gun and San pushed Wooyoung further back, his heart pounding hard as he stared down at the captain. 

“S-San, I’m scared…”

“I won’t leave your side, Woo.” 

“Damn shame. They woulda paid top dollar for ya miserable welts, too. Something about pretty boys like you always gets the cash flowin’.” 

The captain pulled the trigger, grinning wildly. 

San and Wooyoung flinched, but a chill blew through the entirety of the alleyway. There was a sound akin to glass cracking, followed by a sigh behind them. 

“Honestly, if you spent less time antagonizing someone you intend to kill and just  _ kill  _ them, we may not have caught up in time.” 

The two looked back, finding a tall blonde man who looked beyond annoyed walking towards them. San moved to put Woo behind him again once more, but the man only strolled past them, bringing their attention to the massive wall of ice that was suddenly between the three of them and their captors. 

“W-what the hell-”

“I suppose I should keep this up to keep you two from seeing something truly gruesome. Are you hurt?” He inquired, looking back at the two while a commotion came from the other side of the wall. San frowned, shoulders relaxing ever so slightly before jolting when he heard the sound of screaming. 

“M-Monster!”

“What’s happening?” Wooyoung questioned hesitantly, eyes wide. The blonde man gave it a moment before he answered. 

“I haven’t seen the Captain this pissed off in months. Which is good for you. Not so much for them.” He vaguely answered and put his palm to the ice wall, ignoring both men behind them and the way they gasped in surprise at how it instantly melted. 

At the other end of the alleyway was a man in a brown coat that had blood stains all over it. His shoulders heaved as he faced away from them, a low, animalistic sound leaving the back of his throat. 

“Seonghwa, are they safe?”

“Mm, they are. Are you alright? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so upset, Hongjoong.”

Hongjoong ran a bloodied hand through his hair, seemingly uncaring of the way it smeared into his brunette locks. He turned his gaze to the trio, focusing on Wooyoung and San.

They noticed his appearance, the unnatural eyes and the demonic feel he gave off and it made Wooyoung feel faint. He fell to his knees behind San, feeling all of his adrenaline ebb away. San frowned and came to his side, looking up as the small man at the end of the alley walked towards them, stopping in front of them. 

“W-What are you?” San inquired, cringing at the stutter in his own voice. 

“Short and sweet answer is I’m a demon.” Was the response as Hongjoong inspected Wooyoung’s injured leg through his tattered clothes, knowing better than to try and reach for him with San clearly sitting in a defensive stance in front of him. 

"There's a  _ long _ version of that?" San inquired incredulously.

“Mon petit putois, I think it would calm them more if you didn’t look so beastly. You’re already covered in blood. Can you tone it down a bit?” Seonghwa inquired helpfully from the left, observing the wary way both Wooyoung and San eyed his captain. Hongjoong looked up at him with those electric blue eyes before he realized he had snapped and let his demonic powers run wild because he was angry. 

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath and the two escapees watched the veins on his forehead and cheeks disappear slowly. He opened his eyes after a moment or two and both of them looked into warm, concerned honey-colored eyes instead. 

“D-demon…? Really…” Wooyoung muttered, looking at him with both fascination and fear. Hongjoong shook his head and fixed them with a look. 

“He said something about you escaping...where did you come from? Were there more people trapped by them, too?” 

Both of them were taken back by the concern and urgency in his tone, but they both nodded, watching as he stood up, jaw set. 

“Show us where. We’ll help.”

Seonghwa chuckled from beside him, a hand on his hip above his falcata, the other extended to the two men on the ground. 

“You only need to let us know which ship they’re in. Then I suggest you flee with the others. Things are going to get...messy.” Seonghwa warned then. Wooyoung stood and nodded, squeezing San’s hand as he looked over to the two of them. 

“We won’t run if you’re going to free them. We’re coming with you.” He told him adamantly. San blinked, tilting his head. 

“Wait...we are?”

“We are.”

"...of course we are."

-Later-

Seonghwa hummed, sheathing his falcata as the ship sailed away slowly, ignoring the cheers and waving of the passengers aboard. Hongjoong strolled out of the port, exhaustion on his face. No one looked twice at him since the blood from earlier was gone.

He washed it off of his face with his powers before he freed the other captives, giving them a few…'borrowed' resources before he sent them off on their way, feeling confident that they would be able to sail home safely. 

"Is there any particular reason why you two are hanging around still?" The calm silence was broken when Seonghwa looked behind them, finding Wooyoung and San following them not so subtly, trying to hide behind people and buildings as they tailed the two.

Wooyoung pursed his lips and stepped out from his poor hiding place, looking like he wanted to say something important. Hongjoong tilted his head. 

“We wanna go with you.”

Seonghwa arched a brow, looking over Wooyoung’s shoulder to see San didn’t look even a fraction as enthused as he did. He still had a telltale wary look on his face and neither pirate blamed him. He and Wooyoung had witnessed Seonghwa’s ice powers up close and Hongjoong’s demonic form, covered in blood.

Not to mention the violent way they...dispatched of the other sailors holding the other people captive. 

“Are you sure about that? The one beside you looks like he would rather be anywhere but here.” Seonghwa pointed out flatly, pointing a finger at him. 

Wooyoung looked at San, and he sent him a small, forced smile. 

“I just...we don’t know them, Woo. Why are we going with them when we can just-”

“They’re pirates, San! But,  _ nice  _ ones! We can still see the world, but as pirates!” 

Hongjoong came to a stop in front of the group and turned on his heel, sending the two a look. 

“Being a pirate isn’t all fairytales and magic,” He started, ignoring the way Seonghwa cleared his throat sarcastically from beside him. “Plus, I’d rather not have anyone in my crew that didn’t wanna be there. And? I don’t remember offering to make you two members anyway. You’re free now, plan your lives together and come to an agreement on what you really want.” He lightly scolded them before nodding towards the building they were standing beside. 

“I’ll get you two a room for a few days. You should rest, at the very least. You’ve been through a lot.” 

The two visibly relaxed as Hongjoong tossed a small pouch over to them. Inside was enough money for them to stay in a room in the inn that was beside the quartet, plus some extra coins for them to start their lives after they were out. 

Wooyoung and San looked up to thank them, but Seonghwa and Hongjoong had already walked inside.

“Do we really have that much money lying around that we’re giving them away to strangers that easily?”

“You’re doing an awful lot of complaining today, Seonghwa. It’s unlike you.”

“And you’re doing an awful lot of unnecessarily grandiose heroics today, so I think we’re even, putois.”

-x-

_ “If I can’t see anything  _

_ If I can feel you, I’m fine  _

_ I want you to make me sure  _

_ I need you to help me out of my misery  _

_ I can see the light in the dark,  _

_ It quickly blurs  _

_ Step back in place.” _

San stepped out of the washroom, looking over to the bed to find Wooyoung singing happily, eating an orange he got from the market. He settled beside him, smiling as Wooyoung looked up at him. 

“You’re getting better.” He complimented. Wooyoung blushed and held out an orange slice to him, his hand lingering near San’s face after the older man took the slice in his mouth.

“I can sing louder without worrying about getting us in trouble.” He mused, biting his lip. San pressed his cheek into his hand firmly, rubbing Wooyoung’s knuckles with his thumb. 

“We can do a lot of things now that we’re free.” He told him, leaning close to brush their noses together. Wooyoung closed his eyes, letting out a shuddering breath. 

“Are you crying?”

“I feel...so bad…”

San frowned, brows furrowing. 

“Bad? Why would you-”

“I...I honestly didn’t fully believe we’d make it out alive. I doubted us. If I were stronger, we could’ve escaped by ourselves. We got lucky with Seonghwa and Captain Hongjoong and I…” Wooyoung’s bottom lip quivered and San shook his head, running his hand through the smaller man’s hair. 

“It doesn’t matter how it happened. It doesn’t matter who helped or who was stronger. All that matters is this, here and now. Us.” 

Wooyoung looked up at him, tears slipping down his cheeks as San pressed his lips against his. He melted against him, letting San take the gentle lead as their lips molded against each other over and over again. 

This was the first time they got to fully enjoy the feeling of each other’s lips without having to rush and worry about being caught. San gently pushed Wooyoung back so he was flush on the bed, kissing down the tanned expanse of his neck. 7

"I wanted to touch you so much more." Wooyoung finally spoke, his face flushed as he panted. San put his hands at either side of his head, looking down at him. 

"Then touch me. We have all the time in the world right now. It's just us."

Wooyoung nodded, and pulled him in for another kiss, pushing his hand under San's shirt, feeling the muscle that had formed after their two month voyage. San smiled against his lips and let the younger man do what he wanted, simply enjoying the proximity and intimacy.

"San?"

He opened his eyes, looking down to admire Wooyoung's flushed face. 

"Yes, baby?"

Wooyoung closed his eyes for a moment, calming his raging nerves before he opened them back up, having steeled himself for whatever it was he had to say.

"I want you to make love to me."

San pulled back, blinking in surprise at the way Wooyoung stared adamantly into his eyes despite his embarrassment at the confession. 

"Wooyoung-"

" _ Please _ ? I...I want you to. Like you said, it's just us, right?" 

His voice was strong and determined but San could see the way he shyly wavered the more San stared at him. 

After a beat of silence, san chuckled and nodded. 

"I would love to."

He took his time, stripping them both down until they could press their flushed bodies against each other. They looked into each other's eyes, soft moan leaving their lips as their heated lengths slid up against one another. 

"San," Wooyoung breathed shakily, rolling his hips needily for him. San smiled gently and pushed himself up, resisting the urge to laugh at the way Wooyoung whined in protest. 

“Its okay, I’m going to grab something from the washroom, I don’t want to hurt you.” 

Wooyoung blinked in interest, sitting up slightly as San retreated, coming back with a small ornamental jar. The younger man tilted his head, watching as San put it beside them on the bedside table, opening the lid. 

A sweet smell filled the room in an instant and Wooyoung tilted his head curiously. 

“Coconut?”

“Coconut oil I found in the bathroom. I think it’s for washing our faces, but it should work just fine for us.”

Wooyoung didn’t look any less confused as San took some of the oil out of the jar, rubbing it into his hands before he wrapped his hand around Wooyoung’s length. He hummed lowly, relaxing against the sheets as San stroked him. With his free hand, he used the remaining oil to roll his fingers against Wooyoung’s entrance, planting a small kiss above his brow when he felt the smaller man tense up under him.

“Relax, baby. I got you.” San promised, his voice was gentle as he pushed a finger in, slowly stretching him open with his oiled up fingers. He cooed sweet nothings to him, stroking him to take his mind off of the unfamiliar stretch from his fingers as the scent of coconut filled the room. 

“S-San, I’m ready. Please…”

San pulled back, looking down at Wooyoung. His cheeks were flushed, his brunette hair pressed against the pillows beneath him as he stared up at San with half lidded eyes full of adoration. 

San nodded at him, his dark bangs falling into his eyes as he reached for more oil, sighing in relief as he stroked himself, slicking his cock up with it before he lined himself up a Wooyoung’s hole. 

“Hold onto me.”

Wooyoung wrapped his arms around his neck, kissing him and pouring all of his affection into it. He whimpered against San’s lips when he felt the unfamiliar feeling of him stretching him. He broke the kiss, turning his head away as tears gathered at the corner of his eyes once San got half way in.

“O-Oh my god-”

San paused, frowning as he looked down at him. 

“Did I hurt you?” He inquired quickly, his heart dropping when he saw the tears. He immediately went to pull himself out, but Wooyoung shook his head. 

“N-no, wait. I’m just getting used to it. You’re...much bigger than your fingers, of course.” He blushed from the lewdness and awkwardness of it all, but San’s gaze only softened, kissing above Wooyoung’s brow as he nodded, giving him time to adjust. 

When the younger man squirmed below him, San began to move, rolling his hips slowly. Wooyoung moaned softly, closing his eyes as he felt small sparks of pleasure bloom through his body. San kissed gently at his neck, moaning light praise to him as he moved his body against Wooyoung’s, increasing his pace the more he moaned.

“You f-feel so good, Wooyoung.” He panted against his neck, growling when Wooyoung drug his nails down his back. 

“F-faster, move faster, please.” was the breathless reply. San kissed him, grabbing the sheets tight by his head as he rocked harder and faster into him, the wood of the bed creaking as the sound of their love making grew louder. 

There was a sound of a sniffle amongst the moans and San cracked his eyes open, finding Wooyoung crying again. 

“W-why are you crying again? Wooyoung…”

“I’m so happy…” He wrapped his arms around San’s neck, crying between his moans as he buried his face into his shoulder. 

“Stay with me, just like this. Don’t let me go, San.” He whispered, arching his back as pleasurable heat spread through his body, his moans raising an octave, the melodies of pleasure feuling San even more. 

“I won’t. I won’t ever let go of you. I love you Wooyoung.” San breathed against his hair, his voice nearly being drowned out from the volume of Wooyoung’s cries of pleasure. 

They clung to each other for the rest of the night, long after their release pushed them over the edge. After washing up once more, San tucked Wooyoung’s head under his, rubbing his back gently as they felt sleep tug at them. 

“San?”

“Mmm?”

“I love you too.”

San closed his eyes and held him closer, letting the smaller man fall asleep before he followed soon after. 

-1 Week Later-

_ \-  _ _ Lost and wandering hands again  _

_ Hold me and hug me  _

_ Your whisper is my compass  _

_ Even if we’re going back for a long time  _

_ Stay with me, always  _

_ I’m not sure. I don’t know the way  _

_ I’m just Like Alley Cat without you....- _

  
  


“Cap’n, we’re all ready for departure!”

“Okay, good. We’ll be raising anchor soon, then.”

“Wait!”

Hongjoong blinked, turning around to find Wooyoung and San rushing up to them at port, looking leagues more refreshed than they had days ago. He put his had on his hip, tilting his head as he watched the two-hand in hand-run up to him on the docks. 

“Oh, look. You already look leagues better than you did before.” He complimenting them, smiling at the way they both looked full of life. 

“If you came to thank us, don’t worry. I don’t really do things like that to make people owe me-”

“We want to join your crew. If you’ll allow it, sir.” 

Hongjoong blinked in surprise, looking over at San. He didn’t expect either of them to come back to them, let alone for the more reluctant of two to echo their earlier request to join, especially so enthusiastically.

“You’re still trying to-”

“Yes. We talked about it and we’d like to join you. Please.” 

They both bowed their heads to him and he panicked, looking towards Seonghwa up on the ship’s bow. He shrugged a shoulder, leaning over to watch the two with mild interest. 

“Sure. If they can make themselves useful, why not?”

Hongjoong looked back at the two, seeing the determination in their eyes. Running a hand through his hair, he nodded once with a defeated sigh. 

“Fine, fine. Let’s go, I’ll run you through some important things.” He nodded towards the  _ Utopia _ and the two exchanged a look with each other, smiling happily as they rushed aboard, fingers still laced together. 

-3 Months Later-

“Okay, today’s checkup is all done, lad. Make sure you don’t strain yourself. I’ll be sure to tell the Captain to get you some eggs from the chickens in the hold.” the ship’s new surgeon-a rather eccentric gentleman named Yunho-informed Wooyoung, smiling at him. 

“Thank you, Yunho. It’s still a pain to get so light headed, but you’ve helped me so much.”

Yunho nodded, pushing his glasses up so it rested in his hair instead of on his nose. 

“Of course. Being anemic and out at sea has to be tough, but I’ll be sure to keep you healthy for this voyage so you can meet your family with San, no?” he teased, standing up and walking out, picking up a docile python from it’s tank in his room, settling him around his neck before Wooyoung followed him out. 

“I’m still so glad the captain agreed to let us visit my home country. I can’t wait to introduce you all to my family. They’d be so proud of me for surviving and making something out of myself, I just know it.” Wooyoung spoke with a faraway look in his eyes, though Yunho smiled at the genuine joy on his face. 

“You may have to leave Atlas behind, though. I don’t know how my mother would react to you walking up with him around your neck like that.” He added, looking over at the aforementioned python. Yunho looked down at Atlas before shrugging. 

“Fair enough, I suppose.” 

Wooyoung parted ways with Yunho, making his way into one of the upper rooms of the ship just for it’s Sailing Master. Or rather, Sailing  _ Masters _ .

San was already in the room, humming the familiar tune of Wooyoung’s song they had continued to work on in their time together. The duo had settled on calling it ‘Mist’, and were excited to tell Wooyoung’s family of all the ways they had added to the song. 

Wooyoung settled beside him, giving him a thumbs up at the concerned look he gave him. 

“Don’t worry. Yunho said I’ll be fine. I just need some rest and iron. I’m glad I finally have a name for this.” He relayed the information to him, trailing off in his own thoughts before moving to lie down in the bed they had in the room. San’s gaze softened, closing his eyes as he felt the ship moving smoothly.

Hongjoong’s wind and water powers often meant they could sail much faster and much smoother without worrying about long months out at sea. It unfortunately left the Captain exhausted with constantly using his powers for long periods of time, so everyone in the crew made sure to work hard. 

“I should tell momma to make Hongjoong a big meal when we get there. He’s been overexerting himself to speed up this trip.” Wooyoung mused as San reviewed the maps they had, taking his time, using a pencil to draw a new map from the pieces of maps Hongjoong and the previous captain of the  _ Utopia _ had collected over the years.

“I agree. Seonghwa has been doing his best to make sure he rests, but I can tell it’s not working. We should all pitch in once we get to port and buy enough food for a feast.” San added, making sure his lines were precise.

Wooyoung smiled and put an arm over his face, deciding a nap was in order. 

“It’s going to be a great day. I can feel it.”

-x-

"This isn't right. There's no way this is correct."

"Wooyoung…"

"I've been gone for a long time. Maybe I got the location wrong."

"Woo…"

Wooyoung clenched his fists, brows pulled up as he looked at the rubble before him. The location looked familiar to him.

The beautiful fruit bearing tree situated near the left side of the rubble, an old rope swing still attached to one of the old branches.

The the patch of flowers that used to be full of life not too far from it, withering and drooping.

The fence with the lavender chipped paint that enclosed the area.

"Who are you lads?" A voice drew Wooyoung's attention and he snapped his head to the left, recognizing one of his neighbors. He rushed over to the fence, peering over it as the man looked at him in surprise. 

"You're-"

"Please! Tell me what happened? My family…"

"Ah lad, I knew I recognized you. I didn't figure we'd see you again after the town found out about that ship but lo and behold, they sailed back into port about a month ago, telling stories of how some pirates save them. A real strange tale but-"

"My  _ family _ . Please tell me what happened to my family." Wooyoung pressed, tears in his eyes. The man looked down and took his hat off. 

"There was a fire. It took both of them with it."

Hongjoong, San, Yunho, and Seonghwa tensed from behind Wooyoung as the words hit them like a wild bull. 

"A...a fire…?" Wooyoung muttered, looking back towards the rubble. His chest heaved as he took one step towards it and collapsed, prompting all of the men to swarm to his side. 

"Wooyoung I need you to breathe, baby." San urged, gently putting a hand on his shoulder. Wooyoung let out a scream in response, having a full breakdown on the ground. The men startled and Wooyoung’s previous neighbor apologized quietly before leaving the quintet alone as Wooyoung continues screaming bloody murder for his lost family. 

Hongjoong reaches under him and picks him up, nodding at San and the others to follow him as Wooyoung thrashed and cried in the captain's arms. 

“C’mon. We should go somewhere inside. Seonghwa, Yunho, can you please find out where...where Woo’s family was laid to rest? We should pay our respects.” 

The two taller pirates nod and split off from the other three. 

-x-

Wooyoung sat silently, aboard the  _ Utopia _ a week later, idly thumbing the rings on his fingers. He had gone back, rummaging through the rubble for anything he could salvage, but the only thing there was were some black rings that belonged to his father, left behind in a steel box under the floorboards. 

San rubbed his back, sweat rolling down his brow as they sat on the deck. Hongjoong relieved them of their navigational duties until Wooyoung felt well enough to continue. 

The young man stayed curled up against San, a faraway look in his eyes as he held his hand. 

“San…”

“Yes, baby?”

“Don’t leave me.”

“I’ll never leave you, Woo. I swear.”

Wooyoung exhaled, closing his eyes as he put his head on his shoulder, a few more tears slipping down his cheeks as the sound of the crew working, the seagulls above them, and the rolling waves filled the silence between the two. 

-x-

“What’s wrong with him?!”

Yunho ran a hand through his hair, taking a moment or two to choose his words, moving away from the sweating man on his table. San groaned weakly, his eyelids fluttering as his head rolled on the table. 

“Cerebral malaria.”

“ _ What?” _

Yunho ran a hand down his face, biting his thumbnail. 

“He must have contracted it back on land. It sometimes takes a while for the effects to show. But I’m almost certain the lad’s got malaria.” 

“You can help, right?!” Wooyoung was nearly hysterical, pushing past Yunho to hold San’s hand, his chest heaving. Yunho watched him, pursing his lips before he looked away, a conflicted look on his face. 

“I...I don’t know how to tell you, lad. But there’s no known cure for it.” 

Wooyoung felt like he had been punched in the gut. He looked up at Yunho, his lip trembling before he shook is head. 

“No. You have to fix him. YOU HAVE TO FIX HIM, I CAN’T LOSE HIM!’ He screamed, startling the tall surgeon. Yunho jolted and looked at the doorway. He couldn’t fix him, but he could try something else. 

“Just...wait here, please. I need to see something. Stay by his side.” He told him gently, though it was unnecessary. The younger man would have to be pried off of San’s side at this point. 

Yunho turned, long legs swiftly taking him out of his quarters and up to Hongjoong’s quarters, banging hard on the door. 

“Capitan! Cap, I need you!” he urgently cried, banging harder on the wood until the door opened, a disgruntled Seonghwa greeting him. 

“ Enculer! I just made him rest, what the fuck-”

“San is dying.”

His shoulders slumped, his mouth falling open as he looked at him, eyes wide. Hongjoong appeared at his side in an instant, looking just as shocked as he did. 

“What-”

“He’s showing symptoms of malaria. I can’t use any medicine I have. There’s no cure and...well, if I may be blunt, if he dies, we’re going to lose them both. Wooyoung will be inconsolable and I’ve seen my fair share of life and death to know that if San doesn’t survive, Wooyoung probably won’t be strong enough to take that loss, especially after the shock of losing his family and his body’s anemia. Him being under severe stress like that, plus the mental toll-” He cut himself off, sighing. 

“Cap’n. If I may, I suggest you-”

“Yunho! San’s started convulsing in your quarters!” Tzuyu screamed, nearly tripping over herself as she rushed to the trio. Yunho’s eyes widened and he burst into a run, with Seonghwa and Hongjoong quickly following him. 

Hongjoong looked up, cursing when he saw the moon, both full and sporting a brilliant red color. 

“Tzuyu, clear the deck for me!” He called over his shoulder before they disappeared into Yunho’s room, finding Wooyoung crying as San convulsed on the table, his eyelids fluttering as his head rolled from left to right. 

“Bring him to the deck, now!” Hongjoong ordered, grabbing Wooyoung’s wrist and pulling him out so Seonghwa and Yunho could heft the seizing man out of the room.

“What are you doing?! Help him!”

“I am! Give me your hand!” Hongjoong pulled a knife from his boot and Wooyoung’s eyes widened. 

“What-”

“Just do it!” He barked, startling the man as the other two joined them, settling the still-convulsing San beside them. Wooyoung looked at him in horror and nodded, extending his hand. He whined when Hongjoong cut into his palm a little deeper than intended. He grabbed San’s hand, whispering an apology before he cut the man’s palm as well. He ignored Wooyoung’s worried questions to cut both of his palms. 

He reached out to them, squeezing their palms together and exhaling sharply. 

There was a pressure that fell over them all as San’s eyes snapped fully open, a light gleaming in them before the same happened to Wooyoung. The latter collapsed onto his knees beside him and Hongjoong stepped away, backing away from the two. 

“Seonghwa.”

“Oui?”

“Get ready.”

Seonghwa instinctively looked up, cursing when he saw the state of the moon.

“Oh hell-”

There was a ghoulish scream that pierced through the air as Wooyoung’s head snapped back. The sound was nearly deafening and Yunho was the first to notice the blades of metal flying at them. He grabbed the two demons and threw his weight to the left, knocking them all to the deck as the blades flew by, embedding themselves into the wood. 

They looked up, finding Wooyoung’s trembling, panting form. He looked down at San, finding him motionless, several black marks on his unnaturally pale face. His lips were black as well and Wooyoung panted, touching his face and shaking his shoulder desperately. 

“San...Sanie...please please move, move!” 

Hongjoong slowly stood, holding his hands out as he tried to approach Wooyoung. 

“Woo-”

“You said...You said you would help him….”

“I did, I formed a pact with you and him just now. He probably just passed out from the power-”

“Liar.”

Hongjoong tensed, watching as Wooyoung raised his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. They dried, turning into black tracks as he stared at Hongjoong, rage burning in his onyx eyes. There was a backwards crescent on his forehead, with small dots decorating his forehead and nose just above and below the crescent, respectively. His black lips turned up into a sneer as he looked at Hongjoong. 

“YOU LIAR! YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!” He screamed, and the blades were back in an instant. Hongjoong threw his hands up, knocking them away with powerful gusts of wind. Seonghwa stood quickly, ice surrounding his feet with every step as he approached the conflict. 

“His powers seem to be triggered from screaming, like some kind of banshee. If we can calm him down and keep his tone down-”

“GIVE HIM BACK, GIVE HIM BACK” 

Seonghwa cursed, throwing up a thick ice wall between the three of them and Wooyoung. 

“Yunho, get to the cabins. This is gonna get ugly.” Hongjoong ordered, his eyes flickering back to that electric blue as Wooyoung’s blades of metal began to chip through the wall. One sliced the top part clean off, and it took Hongjoong’s fire to melt it before it fell on top of Seonghwa. 

Yunho scuttled away to a different part of the deck as Wooyoung stopped screaming, his hair a wild mess as he stared at them, eyes wild and unfocused. 

“I didn’t want to be alone...he...he was gonna stay with me...he was the one person who wasn’t going to leave me and...and…”

“We won’t leave you, either. You, San, you’re part of my crew. A captain never leaves his crew. Trust me, Wooyoung. San is okay...he was weak when the pact was formed, he probably just got overwhelmed. Calm down, breathe, we can watch over him together.”

Wooyoung looked at him, his brows pulled up. He looked down at San, not liking the twisted way his body was situated, arms and legs bent like a broken doll. 

A doll, easily broken and forgotten.

“No...no no no no. NO NO NO NO!” 

Hongjoong was caught off guard as the blades came once more, gashing him across his chest. He fell to the deck, gasping in pain as blood spilled onto the wood. 

“Hongjoong!” Seonghwa’s eyes widened before he turned towards Wooyoung, his grey eyes turning snowy white. His lips-now red-curled up as he stormed closer, the red marks on his cheeks illuminated by the light of the blood moon as he held his hand out, freezing the small man completely with a powerful blast of ice magic. 

“S-seonghwa...you can’t…” Hongjoong grunted, hissing at the pain of the gash. Seonghwa turned, frowning as he rushed over to him, looking at his bloodied chest in worry. 

“Are you okay…? It went deep…” He frowned at the blade still embedded in Hongjoong’s chest. He reached to take it out, but there was a telltale cracking sound from behind them. They turned, eyes widening as the sound of a faint scream could be heard before the ice shattered, blades of metal flying every which way. One flew right at Seonghwa, leaving a deep wound in his back. He cried out and fell into Hongjoong’s arms, eyes wide. 

“Seonghwa! Seonghwa are you okay?!”

Wooyoung panted, eyes full of rage as he took a step towards them. 

“I love him...he said he would never leave me, I thought you could help me. You lied. You lied. YOU LIED-”

“ _ If the rain gets heavier, the sun will rise  _

_ It will brighten up when the mist is gone…” _

  
  


Wooyoung froze as the sound of singing caught his attention. He turned to his left, finding Yunho approaching him, singing to the tune of Wooyoung’s song. His brows furrowed, and Hongjoong shook his head. 

“Yunho, no!”

“Sing with me, Wooyoung. We can wake San up together, okay? He loves your voice, y’know. I’m sure he’d love to hear you when he arises.” he told him gently, ignoring the startled captain. Wooyoung looked at him, tilting his head as he opened his mouth, his wary voice harmonizing with Yunho’s. 

“ _ If if if If  _

_ There was another way  _

_ Maybe maybe maybe  _

_ Could I not be afraid?... _ ”

Yunho stopped in front of him despite Hongjoong and now Seonghwa’s desperate pleas for the human to leave before he got injured, too. Yunho flashed Wooyoung a disarming smile, petting the top of the demon’s head as they sung, Wooyoung finally relaxing his shoulders.

  
  


“ _ So please  _

_ Tell me it’s all right  _

_ In this uneasy mist  _

_ Things are ephemeral… _ ”

  
  


Wooyoung smiled softly, closing his eyes as the markings faded slowly. When he opened his eyes, he looked tiredly up at Yunho before he tensed, looking at Hongjoong and Seonghwa. 

“Oh my god-”

Yunho looked over his shoulder, noticing a sudden movement. He grabbed Wooyoung’s wrist and darted out of the immediate area as San’s body twitched to life. A low growl left his black lips as his head spasmed until he sat upright suddenly, his eyes snapping open, one as bloody red as the moon, while the other was a dazzling lime color. 

“Oh...oh good, both of them. Why did you have to turn both of them in the same night?” Seongwa huffed tiredly, finally standing back up as they watched San sway, the runes on his face flashing for a moment. 

“So I have ice powers, Wooyoung has some kind of metal powers. What the hell did you give him?” He inquired, watching the demonic smile spread across San’s face. 

It idly made him wonder what the hell he looked like the first night he used his powers and had to deal with his own demon side becoming one with his ‘true self’.

“I have my fire, my wind, my water-”

“C a p t a i n~ Where is Wooyoung? Did you take him from me?” San’s rough voice cut in as he slowly staggered towards them. Hongjoong pulled the blade fully from his chest, ignoring the intense pain that came from it, looking at San with his jaw set.

“You can’t go near him until you calm down. We don’t need any more chaos. Wooyoung is safe.”

“Oh? Did you decide to keep him away from me? Why? Why, why why why?” San smiled at him despite the rage that filled his gaze. 

“He’s all I have. He’s the first person that’s ever cared about me like that. Why did you take him?”

Wooyoung whined from his spot beside Yunho, but the surgeon shook his head, pulling him back when he went to catch San’s attention.

“Don’t. If he’s anything like you were, he’s going to go berserk. We need to trust Hongjoong to calm him down-”

San scoffed, raising his hand. 

“You’re just like the other pirates. I won’t let you take away the only person that’s ever loved me.”

Hongjoong felt a tug at his chest, eyes widening as he watched the blood that pooled on the deck rise back up, wrapping around both him and Seonghwa before San flicked his hand, slamming both of them down onto wood hard. 

“The blood! He’s controlling the blood!” Seonghwa cursed, freezing the blood around his waist before moving to Hongjoong’s.

“Ah, wait, are you two the only ones that get to be in love? Is that it? Why would you take him, otherwise? Is that the ship you’re running?” San took a step forward, looking at the blood in his own hand before he smiled, watching as it twisted and formed into a short sword. 

“I’ll get him back.” 

He rushed at Seonghwa, smiling wildly as the ex prince parried his first attack, following his lead by making a falcata out of ice. San swung hard while Seonghwa blocked each one, trying to ignore the pain in his back. 

San-quick to recognize his disadvantage to the skilled first mate-flicked his freehand, tossing Hongjoong full force into him before he snapped his fingers, using their own blood to lock them down again. 

He raised his blade over his head, mix matched eyes murderous as he swung.

“Give him back!”

“San!”

The blade froze right above the back of Hongjoong’s neck, and San’s face went soft as he turned, looking around the deck to find Wooyoung had ran out from his hiding spot. He looked at him, his lip trapped beneath his teeth as he watched him. 

“S-San, I’m right here. Please…”

“I told you to stay hidden!” Yunho scolded, coming out of his spot to pull at Wooyoung’s wrist. 

The move made San’s anger flare as he let out an ungodly sound, turning his full attention towards Yunho, the blade dragging against the the deck. 

“DON’T TOUCH HIM!”

Yunho noticed his charge and shoved Wooyoung aside, crying out as San’s blade cut through his shirt and coat, leaving a nasty gash against his side. The younger man put a foot on his chest, sneering. He wordlessly raised his blood sword once more. 

_ “So please  _

_ If this is my way  _

_ Hold my hand  _

_ So we won’t wander for much longer…” _

San froze again, looking behind him to find Wooyoung singing shakily. He looked at him, tears staining his cheeks. 

“San stop...we...we can’t keep raging like this...we hurt them...they took us in and look at what we did.” He whispered. San looked around at the wrecked deck, his brows pulling up as his anger faded, realization settling on his marked up face. He looked to his captain and first mate, his lips parted as the two panted weakly, pushing themselves up off of the ground to look at him. 

“H-Hongjoong...Seonghwa…” the groan underneath him reminded him of Yunho’s presence and he quickly stepped away, covering his mouth. 

“Oh no. No, no no-”

“Its..its okay. We’re alive.” Yunho chuckled before he winced at the move. Both San and Wooyoung whined and he only waved his hand as Hongjoong and Seonghwa slowly approached them, limping from their wounds and blood loss.

“Yunho, your wound-” Hongjoong started before the kind surgeon raised his hand, interrupting him. 

“A mere flesh wound. Don’t bother doing any more pacts tonight.” 

Seonghwa looked at his blood loss and frowned. 

“Are you sure? That’s a lot of blood, doctor.”

“I am. Just...just take me to my quarters. I’ll stitch myself up. It’ll be an interesting scar and story to tell in the future, to say the very least.” He joked, wincing when Seonghwa slowly leaned down to pick him up, carrying him off slowly. 

Hongjoong watched them go before he turned his gaze back to the mess left of his deck. He felt ashamed, letting such damage come to his mother’s ship. He clenched his fists before running a shaking hand through his hair. 

“Hongjoong...we’re so sorry…” Wooyoung hesitantly approached him. Hongjoong’s shoulders shook. 

“Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have turned both of you. Especially with the moon being full and bloody. I just want to make sure...the two of you stay together. At the very least, please stay together forever, okay?” Hongjoong sent them a small smile before he limped away. 

Wooyoung and San exchanged a look before their shoulders slumped.

-The Next Morning-

Hongjoong sighed, rubbing his temples as he walked out of his quarters. He had to find a way to explain to the other crew members how they could work around the badly damaged deck. 

_ “Before the sun is rising up  _

_ Before the sun is rising up  _

_ Before the sun is rising up  _

_ In here…” _

He blinked, looking up to find the broken parts of his deck and masts had been patched up with some sheets of metal. His lips parted as he looked down, finding Wooyoung and San swabbing the blood off of the deck, singing as the sun gently rose in the sky. 

_ “Before the sun is rising up  _

_ Before the sun is rising up  _

_ In here…” _

“They’ve been at it all night.” Seonghwa’s voice came from his right, startling him slightly. His eyes widened and Seonghwa smiled slightly.

“I stayed with Yunho as he stitched his wound closed. When I came out, they had already practiced enough with their powers for Wooyoung to control it and fill in the damage from the fight. I tried to get them to rest, but they refused. They seem to be very remorseful, putois.” he told him, sending him a small smile. 

Hongjoong looked at the two hard working men before he walked down to the deck. 

San noticed him first, avoiding his gaze as he shied away from his captain. 

“I’m so sorry-”

“I’m glad I have such hard working additions to my crew.” He smiled. The two gaped, tearing up as Hongjoong swayed his hand, a gentle wave of water sweeping away the blood before Hongjoong disposed of it in the ocean. He put a hand on his hip and sent them a tired smile. 

“Come, now. You two need sleep. I’ll bring you some food later.” He promised, nodding in the direction of the cabins. 

“But Hongjoong, aren’t you going to punish us for...all of this…?” Wooyoung inquired, gripping the handle of the mop tight. Hongjoong shook his head, looking unphased as Seonghwa joined his side, the other members of the crew filing out onto the deck to start the day’s duties. 

“No. You two have a very similar deep fear of being all alone. I changed that and yes,  _ Utopia _ suffered some damage, but you two healed and that’s more important. Besides, you don’t have to worry about being alone ever again. You have each other, and I’ll be by your sides no matter what.” He promised, sending both of them a warm smile before he walked past the stunned men to speak to the members of the crew.

Seonghwa took a deep breath, enjoying the air for a moment before he looked at the two men. 

“Go get your rest. We’ll be here when you wake up. And every day afterwards.” He nodded politely at them before following Hongjoong, leaving the two men teary eyed, clutching their heavily beating hearts before they retreated to their own rooms.

Hongjoong looked up at the sky, smiling at the pastel colors of the sky, the breeze sweeping his bangs across his forehead as he hummed. 

“ _ Before the sun is rising up  _

_ Before the sun is rising up~ _ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So anyone who read the trailers on my tumblr know that originally Woosan were going to be kidnapped to be sold to a brothel. I felt that was a bit of a cop out and it could make people uncomfortable for the background implications of non con even though there would never have been any scenes of it and they (obviously) never would have gotten there. So I changed it.  
Also I'm sorry for it being late, I hope the length of it can make up for it being late, I'm sorry :(
> 
> Please review and maybe follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) if you'd like. Feel free to drop some asks and cry about Ateez or any other band or something. Idk, tell me about your day? *shrug*


	4. Fourth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yeosang Centric Origin Chapter:  
Content TWs for:  
Character Death  
Violence  
Verbal Abuse  
Take care reading, everytiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If yall thought I would go easy on him just because he's my bias, I'm so sorry but no.  
Follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) we have fun there

-Age 7-

“How long are you gonna be in there crying?!” 

His eyes squeezed tightly shut as the door swung open. He could hear the sound of heels approaching before someone kneeled down in front of him, followed by an exasperated sigh. He grabbed his arms tighter, biting his lip hard as he buried his head further into his arms. 

“Yeosang, honey, you can’t keep hiding in the closet every time your sisters upset you. Your parents are going to be cross with you.” 

Yeosang lifted his head, sniffling as he looked up at one of the nannies. It was his favorite one, a kind, middle aged woman named Alexandria. She cupped his tear streaked cheek and smiled at him and tilted her head. 

“Won’t you come out? You want to stop by the market, right?”

“Yeah! Come out, crybaby!”

Yeosang flinched as a voice came from the hallway. He didn’t have to look over his shoulder to know it was his older sister, Emelia. She stood at the door, arms crossed as she waited for him to stand and exit, grinning wildly at him as she raised her fist in a threatening manner. 

A whine left his throat and Alexandria shook her head, looking back at the young girl with her lips pulled into a frown. 

“Leave your brother alone. Shouldn’t you be heading out to get sized for your new dress? You ripped the old one.” She informed her. Emelia’s lip curled before she rolled her eyes, grabbing the youngest sister, Hazel, before she stomped off. 

“Whatever, it’s boring playing with that lispy crybaby anyway!”

Yeosang looked back down, biting his lip as he felt tears well into his eyes again. Alexandria shook her head, grabbing the small boy, picking him up and smiling as he latched onto her side, hugging her leg. 

“It’s okay, little one. I’d cry too if she was always bullying me. I, for one, think your lisp is cute." She cupped his round cheeks and rubbed her thumbs gently against them, kissing the unique birthmark by his eye.

"But it’s alright. We can go out to town and get some yummy food. Would you like to cook with us again, today?” She inquired. Yeosang perked, looking up at her in interest. She laughed and nodded, ruffling his hair as she lead him out of the room. 

“There we go, there’s my handsome little prince. Let’s wash your face and head out.” She urged, leading him down the hall. 

Yeosang held tight to her hand, smiling softly. Alexandria was the nanny in charge of him, and ever since he was born, she had been the sole parental figure for him. 

His actual parents...left much to be desired, and it was obvious they’d had their children out of necessity, not any desire to actually have a family. It was common practice for him to not see hind end or tail end of his parents until dinner was served and he and his sisters were left completely in the care of their nannies. 

Which is why, had Alexandria had not been there for him, his sister’s bullying would have been left completely unchecked. Alexandria was the only one to stick up for him when it came to the princesses, as no one else dared to bring on the ire of any of the royal family. 

“Yeosang, your mind is wandering, love. Don’t worry so much.” Alexandria’s voice cut him out of his musings and he smiled sheepishly at her as they reached the bathroom. She grabbed a cloth, soft to the touch before she drew some water, washing his face lightly. 

Yeosang nodded, looking down at his feet as she wiped away the tear streaks on his cheeks. She smiled and kissed the top of his head lightly, tilting her head. 

“Shall we go?” She giggled, wringing out the cloth and ruffling his brunette hair. He looked up at her and smiled, nodding once as he followed her out and into town. 

The two of them always got strange looks from people when Alexandria took him out. Apparently a prince had no business wandering around shopping for food with the help, but Yeosang could care less. Alexandria was the closest thing he comfortably felt like calling family and he wouldn’t let something as frivolous as a title keep him from his favorite person. 

His parents didn’t give him the time of day, his elder sister made it her life’s mission to make his life hell, and their younger sister was a bystander, never raising her voice to help him out from Emelia’s verbal and physical abuse. 

So yeah, it was safe to say Alexandria was much better company than staying stuffed up in the castle with any of the other options. 

His thoughts were cut off by the sound of a bark, followed by a crash. Alexandria looked up in surprise, her arms full of baskets of food as a tan blur ran past them. Yeosang watched in awe as a canine bolted past him, ears pointed up towards the sky as it wove in and out of the crowd. There were two men chasing after it, growling threats about putting it down once and for all. 

“The damn mutt keeps escaping, we might as well get rid of it!”

Before Alexandria could pull him away from the commotion, Yeosang felt his feet pull him towards the crowd, brows pulled up in worry as he chased after the men and the dog. 

“Y-Yeosang? Prince Yeosang, wait!” Alexandria cried fruitlessly as the child ran full speed through the crowd, panting as he followed the men until they turned down an alley, trapping the dog against a brick wall. 

“Finally! You’re much more trouble than you’re worth!” One growled, shaking his head as he raised a rope, most likely to loop around the dog’s neck for capture. 

“Stop! I o-order you to stop!”

The two men paused, looking back to find the small prince looking up at them. Yeosang bit his lip, his heart hammering in his chest as he walked forward, trying his best to put on a regal air to him. Alexandria caught up to them, panting as she stood at the end of the alley, tilting her head in confusion at the scene. 

“Prince Yeosang?” One of the men frowned, confused by the sudden appearance of the prince. 

“W-What are you trying to do to that dog?” He bit the inside of his cheek, digging his nails into his palms as he tried to steel his nerves. The men exchanged a look with one another before they straightened their backs, turning towards the prince fully. 

“This here’s a Singer. The little mutt keeps escaping and eating the other small animals and fruit we’ve been housing. We’re losing money because of ‘em so-”

“I’ll take him.”

“What?”/”You will?” Alexandria and the men inquired as Yeosang swallowed down the nervous lump in his throat and walked past the men, stopping in front of the dog. It looked up at him curiously, shaking anxiously as it backed away from him. 

“H-hey, it’s okay. My name is Yeosang. Will you be my friend?” Yeosang gently offered is hand to the canine, shivering slightly out of fear of being bitten by the animal who no doubt felt cornered at this point. The dog sniffed at his hand after a tense moment before headbutting it, stepping closer into the young boy’s space. 

Alexandria’s shoulders relaxed as she fished out some gold coins from her pocket, walking up to the perplexed men and setting a piece each into their hands. 

“As of right now, that is a Royal Canine, please leave it to us and return to your jobs, we’ll take care of it from here.” She told them politely, smiling as they simply shrugged their shoulders, moving to leave. 

“Whatever you wish, lass. I doubt that mutt will be good for anyone, but if the prince wants ‘em, he can have em.”

Alexandria, satisfied, walked up to her charge, looking down with a soft gaze as Yeosang pet the dog, a fond smile on his face. 

“It looks like you made a friend. What are you going to name-er-him?” She inquired, glancing underneath the tan dog to check for their sex. Yeosang tilted his head, reviewing the dog. 

He looked to be an adult, with his fur light tan at the top and a beautiful cream color from is eyes down to his underbelly. He had two cream colored marks above his eyes, almost like eyebrows as he stared at Yeosang, still shaking slightly. It was then Yeosang realized he was probably still terrified, despite the men retreating. 

“He’s still shivering...you’re still scared because of those mean men, right? It’s okay. I’ll take care of you so you don’t have to shiver anymore. Isn’t that right, Shiber?” He beams, satisfied with the name. 

Shiber tilted his head to the side before he headbutted Yeosang’s hand again, keening when the child scratched behind his ear. Alexandria smiled softly and took Yeosang’s hand, leading him and Shiber out of the alley. 

-x-

“Ew, what the hell is that?”

“Language, Emelia.”

Emelia’s lip curled in distaste as she watched Yeosang from across the dinner table. 

He wasn’t interested in her bullying in the slightest, paying more attention to petting the freshly washed and collared Shiber as he sat at his side, eating whatever scraps of meat didn’t make it to the royal meal, his tail wagging slightly. 

“Let your brother have his companion. Maybe it’ll spurn him to have some backbone. Anyway-” 

Yeosang flinched at his father’s dismissive insult, looking up as the man began to speak openly about yet another woman he had his eyes on. Their mother didn’t seem interested, not insulted as he talked about the new object of his affections. 

The way their father ran the kingdom was...weird, to the young man. He courted many women, some not even from their lands, with the excuse that he was ‘connecting’ lands through making the women his. His mother never raised her voice to protest, as she often went off on her own to be with others, as well. 

It...confused him.

Shiber, sensing Yeosang’s discomfort, lifted his head, setting it on the young boy’s leg, letting out a small gruff sound. 

Alexandria smiled from her spot at the corner of the room with the other servants, watching as Yeosang smiled, petting his new companion gently before resuming his meal. 

Not a single tear fell from his eyes at that dinner, the first time in a while that had happened. 

-Age 15-

“And then you tuck the corners of the pastry in like this.”

Yeosang had his sleeves rolled up, smiling softly as he taught a new servant how to make one of Hazel’s favorite apple pastries. She had asked for it since she felt under the weather, so the prince had joined the other servants in the kitchen to help out. 

“You...you’re the prince, right? Why are you in the kitchen?” the servant inquired, lips parted in wonder. He was more fixated on the strange prince than the task at hand. 

Something the head chef noticed, walking past him to slap him upside the head, shaking his head in disapproval. 

“Yeo’s helping out, which is more than you’re doing. Quit your gawking and follow the instructions he gave you. He  _ is _ the prince. If he wants to help out in the kitchen, let him help in the damn kitchen.” he scolded before sending Yeosang a respectful nod, heading to the other side of the kitchen. Roy rubbed his head and nodded, following Yeosang’s instructions. 

“I know it’s weird, huh? Most princes probably scoff at the idea of being in the kitchen, let alone helping out...servants.” The world left his lips hesitantly and he grimaced afterwards. These people took care of the royal family. The word servant felt so wrong to him, but he figured he’d draw more confusion from the new man if he called them all caretakers. 

“I find comfort here, though. So thank you for welcoming me into your kitchen.” he felt a light bump against his leg and laughed, plucking an apple slice out of a bowl on the counter, lowering it for Shiber to eat happily. 

“Well, Shiber and I into your kitchen.” He corrected, laughing as his furry best friend let out a beautiful howl in response, trotting to sit at the corner of the room in a basket they remade into a bed. 

They got to work baking the pastries while readying some other food, and soon Yeosang was walking out with Shiber in tow, heading to Hazel’s room. 

When they got there and Shiber barked once for admittance, he was met with his younger sister looking eye to eye with him. She looked at the platter in his hand and then the smile on his face a sighed lightly. 

“Emelia is never going to let up on you if you keep acting like the help.” She muttered, her tone cold as she took the platter from him without any gratitude. His smile fell as the door slammed in his face, leaving him and Shiber in the hallway. 

Ever since the three of them reached puberty, Emelia’s relentless bullying intensified, from her trying to shave part of his head in his sleep (only to be stopped by Shiber nearly biting her), to physically shoving and hitting him at every opportunity (something that did earn her a few intense bites here and there from his friend). 

Hazel’s bystanding remained the same, never stepping in to help him from their sister’s ire. 

Their parents were no better, having completely ignored the siblings all through their adolescence in favor of their adultery and leisure-filled lives. 

Sometimes it felt like the three of their children existed only so someone could take over when the two of them died. 

Yeosang sighed and walked down the hall, pursing his lips as Shiber followed close by his side, his tail dropped as he glanced up at his owner every now and again. 

“It’s alright, Shiber. We did good today. That’s what matters.”

“God, can you get any more pathetic? This is why no one likes you.”

Yeosang stopped, hearing Shiber growl beside him as Emelia appeared down one of the side halls, dressed in masculine clothing as she stopped in front of him, easily half a foot taller than him with the wedges to her boots. He shrunk back from her glare, tugging at Shiber’s collar as the canine snarled at her, ready to attack if she laid her hands on him. 

“A pathetic, spineless excuse for a prince whose only friends are the disposable servants and some mangy mutt he picked up off the street. Are you really going to be who takes over when father kicks the bucket? The gods really do have a sick and twisted way of writing life like a comedy, huh?” She spat, stepping into his space, ignoring the way Shiber’s snarls increased in volume. Yeosang clenched his fists, feeling anger bubble up in his chest along with his sadness. 

“I agree. After all, I was born the boy, and I’ll rule this kingdom while you continue to run around dressed in prince’s attire though you’ll never be the king or queen of this land.” 

That struck a chord and Emelia sneered, winding back and punching him in the face. Shiber exploded into motion, biting at her arm before she swung him off, ignoring the bleeding wound in favor of lunging at her brother, tackling him to the ground as she swung at him. 

“How DARE you!” 

“Get off of me!” 

Yeosang reached up and pulled her hair, yanking hard to get her to stop as the two rolled around screaming at each other. Shiber’s barks increased in volume until people were alerted of the scuffle. 

“What in the devil is going on?! Emelia! Yeosang!”

The two siblings continued to swing wildly at each other until Emelia was yanked unceremoniously off of Yeosang. She flailed wildly, kicking at whoever pulled her off until she was tossed aside, panting wildly as Alexandria knelt down next to Yeosang, delicately touching his bruised and scratched up face. 

“What the hell is going on?! You two should not be fighting! I’ve told you a million times, you’re siblings! You share blood!” She scolded, standing to turn to Emelia. The teen scoffed, running a hand through her messy hair. 

“Oh? Am I being scolded by the woman who thinks she’s his mother? You’ll never be royalty and though that gutless idiot hangs around with you, you’ll never be his family. Lower your tone when you speak to me.” She spat, lip curling as she looked at her arm before leering at Shiber. 

“I outta have you skinned and put on my floor as a rug, you filthy-”

“Touch my brother and I’ll end you.”

Emelia and Alexandria’s eyes rose as Yeosang sat up, wiping his bloodied lip as he lifted his hand, motioning for Shiber to come to him. Shiber sent Emelia one last distrustful look before trotting faithfully to Yeosang’s side, sitting beside him as he nudged his cheek, whining audibly at the sight of his owner’s wounds. 

“Oh? Is that what it takes to get you to grow some jewels? Threaten the mutt? You know he won’t be with you forever,yes? I’m curious to see how well you fare when your precious mongrel keels over on you.” She spat, turning on her heel and storming down the hall. 

Alexandria frowned and looked down at the two before sighing, picking him up off the ground. Shiber sniffed at her hand, his stance protective as he lightly nipped at her fingers as a warning not to hurt him. She sent him a wrinkled smile and he backed off, letting her pick the prince up. 

“I’m glad you’re standing up for yourself, but please don’t fight. Your sister has matured into such a mean spirited young woman and you don’t know the lengths she’d go to get back at you. Try to keep things from getting physical, okay? For me?” She inquired gently, petting his head. Yeosang sighed and nodded, letting her lead him and Shiber off to clean up the wounds. 

-x-

A week later of him avoiding both his sisters, he was awoken in the middle of the night by a commotion. He frowned and sat up, finding Shiber sniffing and scratching at the door. He rubbed his eyes, standing up and walking to the door. 

“What’s wrong?” He opened it, surprised when Shiber took off, barking in panic as he did so. Yeosang frowned and woke up fully, rushing barefoot after the dog as he lead him through the castle until they were in the foyer and he finally saw what his friend was so upset about. 

Alexandria was on her knees, tears running down her face as one of the royal guards tossed open a satchel full of royal goods in front of her feet. She shook her head, looking up at the king meekly. 

“I would never steal from you! I d-don’t know how those got into my room!” She pleaded, her nose running. Yeosang gasped and ran down the stairs, stopping in front of his father, chest heaving as he looked at the scene. 

“W-what is this? What’s going on?!” He panted, feeling unshed tears well in his eyes. Behind his father were both Emelia and Hazel. The former had a wide smirk on her face while Hazel avoided his gaze, favoring a spot on the carpet. His father raised his head, looking down as Alexandria continued to beg. 

“This wench has been stealing from us. It’s a good thing we caught her. I wonder how much you’ve stolen over the years. No more. You are hereby banished from these lands. If you ever return, I’ll make sure your head will be displayed in the town square.”

His heart sank, looking over to Alexandria as she screamed, being picked up unceremoniously by two guards. She reached for him, tears and snot rolling down her face as she cried out, her heart hammering.

“No! No, it wasn’t me! Please!”

Yeosang reached for her, stepping in her direction to stop the guards. This wasn’t fair! He had known her better than anyone, she wouldn’t steal from any of them. His father pushed him back, shaking his head in disapproval. 

“No, son. Let the wench go. She’s probably stolen from you, too.” He sneered, watching as the guards got further and further. Yeosang cringed, the word sounding like a dirty word coming from the man. 

Son? He was his son? Since when?

Yeosang broke past him, him and Shiber rushing across the foyer to try and stop the guards. 

“Let her go! Stop!”

“Get him! Don’t let her touch anything else in this castle!”

Yeosang cried as a guard swooped in, picking him up roughly. That made Shiber stop as he snarled, baring his teeth at the guard. Yeosang whistled for him to stop before he could lunge, watching through his tears as the front doors to the castle slammed shut, Alexandria’s cries growing farther and farther away. 

Once she was out of earshot, Yeosang was set down. He clenched his teeth, fat tears rolling down his face as Shiber whimpered, laying down in defeat as he put his head on Yeosang’s feet. The teen’s shoulders shook, and he didn’t have the energy to shake off his father’s hand as it fell onto his shoulder. 

“Hold your tears. Men don’t cry. Especially over wenches like that. You’re lucky your older sister let us know of her misdoings, or we could’ve been robbed blind.”

He tensed. 

_ Of course. _

Yeosang looked over his shoulder, lip curled as he glared at Emelia. She smirked from her spot before she turned on her heel, tossing her hair over her shoulder as she made her way back up the stairs. Hazel looked up, biting her lip as she looked between Emelia’s retreating form and Yeosang’s heated gaze. 

She knew. She knew their sister lied. 

But as she always did, Hazel bowed her head and turned a blind eye, leaving the foyer as Yeosang crumbled to the floor.

-Age 18-

Ever since that day, Yeosang shut himself off. He worked with the servants, but spoke little to any of them. Most of his conversations were with Shiber when the two were alone. 

He was all he had left. Just a prince and his royal dog.

Yeosang sat in his bed, his arms curled around Shiber’s neck as the dog howled gently. 

It was a mystical sound, like a siren song to the lonely boy as he enjoyed the comfort of the old dog. 

When Shiber finished howling, he licked Yeosang’s forehead, sniffing gently before letting out a gruff bark. 

‘Okay. Enough moping for today.’

Yeosang smiled, knowing enough about his best friend to know what the canine was telling him to do. He stood after kissing the top of his head, heading out. They should probably head to the kitchen and get something to eat. 

As he stepped out of the room, he caught sight of Emelia, walking the halls with her head held high. She glanced in his direction before rolling her eyes, annoyance crossing her features. 

“Ugh. Just the mere sight of you sours my mood. Especially that unsightly mark on your stupid face.”

Yeosang ignored her, patting his leg for Shiber to follow him in the opposite direction. It had been years, but he hadn’t spoken more than a handful of words to either of his siblings in the time between Emelia’s lie. 

Naturally, it didn’t stop the oldest from trying to rile him up and that had lead to plenty more physical altercations between them before the younger decided to just...shut down and avoid any contact with her at all. 

As for Hazel...he had no interest in talking to someone who didn’t lift a finger to help those clearly in need. 

He only had one family member left, and he was always at his side. 

Before they reached the kitchen, the head chef emerged, balancing a huge platter on his arms. Yeosang and Shiber stepped out of the way, watching with tilted heads as he regained his balance. 

“Ah, Yeosang, my boy. Don’t worry about cooking. Your father appears to have courted another woman, so she’ll be over for dinner. Rumor has it, she’s royalty from another kingdom.” He whispered before straightening his back. 

“The old fox never changes, apparently.” he shook his head, walking into the dining room. Yeosang pursed his lips, sighing as he made his way after him. If his father brought another woman home, the three of them would be forced to sit through an introductory dinner with each other. 

Sighing, he entered the room, sitting at his designated seat, ignoring the look Hazel sent him from across the table. He played with Shiber instead, hardly sparing a glance as his father, mother, some of their...partners...and the new woman walked in. 

He doubted he’d ever understand such a loveless relationship. He didn’t care much, anyway. Whatever they did in their personal lives was no longer a concern of his. 

If he had it his way, he’d run away and leave this kingdom in disarray. 

Alexandria raised him better, though. 

Sighing, Yeosang moved to start eating, still bent on ignoring everyone when there was a clearing of a throat. 

“Excuse me, Prince. But do you honestly expect me to eat with that mongrel at the table?”

“I have to eat with Emelia across from me, I’m sure you can make do.” Yeosang responded to the new woman without lifting his gaze, tilting his head to the side to dodge the predictable potato that was hurled across the table from his aforementioned sister. The woman gasped, indignified at the man’s blunt rudeness. 

“Shiber is the royal dog. He’s been here longer than you and he’ll be here long after you’re gone. Please worry about your side of the table, and I’ll busy myself with mine.” He huffed, raising his eyes only to fix her with an unamused stare. 

His father tsked. 

“Don’t mind him. He’s a bit antisocial.”

“He’s a bit of a bitch.” Emelia proudly grunted, taking a hefty bite of her food. 

“Takes one to know one, I suppose.” He shot back, eyes narrowing as she sent him a near murderous glare. 

“Do you wanna go, you spineless coward?!” She snapped, pushing out her chair roughly. Yeosang stood as well, fists balled at his sides as he leered back at her. 

“Try it, you lying harpy!”

“Both of you sit down! You’re going to ruin the dinner!” His father barked. Yeosang and Emelia scoffed in union, snapping their gaze to their father. 

“I don’t give a rat’s ass about how many toys you two bring into this castle! You can dress them up and pretend it’s something special, but we’re all old enough to know you’re two greedy, sex-craved idiots in a poor excuse of a marriage!” Emelia spat. 

“I don’t wish to sit here and have to shake hands with your onslaught of partners when I’m sure even  _ you _ can’t remember the names of all of them. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be leaving.” Yeosang added.

For once, the two seemed to be on the same page about something, grabbing their respective plates and storming out from different doors, leaving Hazel with their angered parents. 

“Such ungrateful and rowdy kids, I have no idea where they get it from.” The king tried to lighten the air in the room, but the new woman only narrowed her eyes in the direction of the doors, bringing a glass of wine to her lips. 

Interesting.

-x-----

“The kingdom is weak. They have no unity. The King and Queen aren’t interested in politics or strength and their defenses are nearly non existent. The Prince and Princesses are volatile and unfit to rule. It wouldn’t take much to destroy.”

There was a chuckle. 

“I figured. Thank you for your work. I suppose it’s demolition time then, yes?”

\-------x-

The next time they all ate together, his father’s new woman was nowhere to be found. It was obvious he wasn’t happy with her unexplained absence, if the glares he shot both his oldest children was anything to go by. 

“Why is it my children both have no manners, hm? I bring someone in, and all any of you have to do is behave and  _ not _ make a fool out of yourselves. Is that so hard?” He suddenly grunted. The queen closed her eyes, clearly not impressed either. 

“I wish I could be surprised, they were raised by that thieving wench.” 

“Correction, the one with the mongrel was raised by the thieving wench.”

Yeosang’s jaw clenched as he leered at Emelia, rage burning in his eyes. Was he really expected to take this verbal abuse all his life? She smirked at him, crossing her arms. 

“The only one we can rely on is the youngest. A shame, really.” The king shook his head and Yeosang snorted. 

“Ah, the bystander? I guess if you need someone to sit still and do nothing but watch, Hazel is perfect for the job, isn’t that right?” He snapped, turning his eyes onto the youngest. She shrunk back biting her lip. 

“I-”

“Don’t respond to that.” Emelia cut her off, putting her elbow on the table as she smirked down at Yeosang. 

“Oh? The little prince wants to yip at everyone? It won’t bring her back, you know.” 

Yeosang stood abruptly, ready to leave when there was the sound of glass breaking. They all startled, looking to the window to find a stone had been tossed through it. Before anyone could move, more stones were thrown, creating more holes in the glass before a hailstorm of flaming arrows followed, setting the curtains and carpet on fire. 

“We’re under attack!” The king screamed, rushing out of the room without so much of a second glance at his family-or anyone else in the room. Yeosang frowned and whistled for Shiber to follow him, rushing out into the hall to find it also on fire. 

“W-what is this?!” Hazel screamed, pushing past him to rush down the hall. Yeosang rushed to one of the windows, peering outside to see a group of soldiers, much heavier in number than they had at their disposal. 

Towards the back, was a man on a horse, and Yeosang could tell he had to be the one calling the shots. Beside him, on her own horse, was the woman who had been at dinner with them before. The one his father brought in from another kingdom. 

They were set up.

Yeosang snatched his body back as an arrow flew through the window beside his head. He cursed and took off, keeping his eyes on Shiber as the two made their way through the halls, running past panicked servants that were rushing to the exit. He looked over the railing to the foyer, eyes widening when he found the men had made their way inside, firing and slashing at anything that moved in their field of vision. 

Yeosang froze until Shiber bit his sleeve, growling and tugging him in a different direction. 

Getting the hint, he rushed down another hall. Maybe if he could find a place to hide-

A blur caught his vision and he noticed Emelia rushing towards the wine cellar. Despite himself, he ran to the cellar as she started closing the door. 

“Emelia! Let me in, they’re coming!” 

Emelia took one look at him and her eyes darkened, pulling sharply at the door to close it faster. Yeosang gasped and grabbed the edge, stopping it and struggling to pull it open. 

“What the hell are you doing?! Now isn’t the time for this shit, Emelia, they’re trying to  _ kill _ us!” He cried, arms shaking. Emelia pulled harder, snarling at him. 

“I’m sure you and your trusty mutt will be fine! Let go!” She hissed, letting go with one hand to claw at his hand. He panicked, looking down into the cellar to see Hazel was inside. She stood beside Emelia, looking up at the desperate teen as he struggled with their older sister. 

“Hazel, help! She won’t open the door! We don’t have the time for this!”

Hazel looked back and forth between her two siblings before she reached for the door. 

“I guess this time I’m not the one sitting by saying nothing, right?” She muttered, grabbing Emelia’s hand. She looked up at Yeosang and shook her head. 

“Good luck.”

She pulled hard, slamming the door shut with Emelia. The locking sound from behind the door was the confirmation that yes, his sisters had in fact left him to die. A sinking feeling flooded his body. 

“R-really…?”

Shiber barked and pushed the back of his legs. Yeosang shook his head and took off, ignoring the pain in his heart. 

His sisters and him didn’t get along, they never did, but the two of them had cast him aside to die. 

He ran through the flaming halls, running to his room to find it was one of the few that wasn’t ablaze. He thanked his lucky stars that his room was towards the back, as the soldiers hadn’t rounded around to the other side of the castle yet. He threw one of his stools out of the window, breaking it before he wrapped some blankets around his fists and punched out the rest. Panting, he hefted up his mattress, hurling it out of the two story window before looking to Shiber as the smoke started to fill the room. He knelt down and hugged the dog tight, shaking,

“I need you to trust me, buddy, please.” He whispered. 

Shiber’s tail wagged and he licked Yeosang’s cheek in response. 

Satisfied, Yeosang pulled his comforter off of his bed and wrapped the dog up, picking him up before he steeled himself.

“No time to be a coward, Yeosang.” he whispered, hurling himself out of the window. He let out a small scream as he plummeted, landing on the mattress before he bounced off, landing hard onto some of the glass just beside the mattress. He cried out when it cut into his hip, arms, and legs, unfolding Shiber from the blankets before he attempted to stand. 

Shiber bounced out perfectly, and Yeosang let out a sigh of relief as he limped away from the scene before the soldiers could round to the back of the castle. Yeosang made sure to pick up his crown that had tumbled off of his head when he fell, tucking it into his shirt as he made his way down to port, holding his bleeding leg as he tried to stay unseen. 

He knocked on the doors of townsfolk and business people alike, but some of them ignored him completely, while others shouted through the door that they were too afraid to open it. He looked around in panic, turning behind him to see the castle had started to collapse, the foundation of it being weakened by the flames. 

They were all probably trapped inside.

Yeosang closed his eyes and looked down at Shiber, who was focused on licking his bloodied hand. Yeosang smiled at his canine brother and turned his attention towards the ships at port. He had to get out of the kingdom before whoever attacked the Kangs realized he was still alive.

Yeosang noticed a rather large ship and decided that would be his way out. He snatched some clothes out of someone’s yard, covering his bloodied body up as he snuck deeper into the port, weaving between the confused sailors as they watched the fire. He picked Shiber up once more and slid aboard, heart hammering as he disappeared into the hold before anyone could notice. 

-x-

“Should we-”

“Absolutely not.”

Hongjoong pursed his lips as he stood at the docs, watching as the castle in the distance crumbled, flames and smoke blotting out the sky. Seonghwa was beside him, arms crossed as he watched on, his jaw set. Wooyoung and San exchanged a look with each other. 

“But Seonghwa, helping is what we do-”

“Not when it’s a dispute between kingdoms. We’re pirates, not royals. It’s none of our business.” he grunted. Yunho looked at him, tapping his chin before he looked at the chaos in the distance. 

“I think this one hits a bit close to home. We should leave before whoever set that fire makes their way down to port. Best not to get involved this time.” He nodded, agreeing with the other tall pirate. The two youngest frowned, looking at their captain. 

At the end of the day, he had the final say. 

Hongjoong sighed and ran a hand through his hair, his ringed fingers tugging lightly mid way before he let his strands go. 

“Unfortunately, we might be too late for this one. Let’s go. We can’t save em all.”

The two frowned before the nodded, following the rest of the crew back onto the ship.

-x-

Yeosang found out a lot of things while he was on the ship, tucked into a dark corner of the hold. 

One, Shiber could sit remarkably still for long periods of time. It was impressive.

Two, everyone aboard was kind to one another, and it made his heart ache. Was this what a family was supposed to act like?

Three, sitting so still for so long had aggravated his wounds, and he regretted not taking the time to properly bandage them before stowing away. He wondered idly if it would get infected, 

Four, he and Shiber were at the end of their rope and he could tell his old friend was in dire need of food and water. 

And five, the most important part and the reason they were still in hiding-

The ship wasn’t a merchant ship. Or a naval ship. 

Pirates. Goddamn pirates.

He was out of the pan and into the fire. They both were gonna die.

Despite his fear-and pain-he stood when he was sure most, if not all of the crew was asleep. He limped through the shadows, blindly feeling around so he could try and find the kitchen. He’d grab something for Shiber and leave-

As soon as he turned into the kitchen, he froze, finding a tall brunette man with his back to him, rummaging around the kitchen, muttering under his breath about snacks. Yeosang let out a small sound and turned to leave immediately, running into something firm. 

He looked up, eyes growing to the size of plates when he found a blonde man scowling down at him. In a flash, he was grabbed by his neck, slammed against a wall as the man leaned into his space. Shiber growled from beside him, but the blonde flicked his hand, never leaving Yeosang’s eyes as ice appeared on the floor, making his trusty companion slide on the deck. 

He looked down, brows pinched up in confusion before the man squeezed his neck, his eyes like cold steel. 

“Who the hell are you?” He growled, his voice a low rumble. Yeosang whined, trying fruitlessly to shrink away from the man. 

“I-I….”

He choked when the grip on his neck tightened. 

“I imagine it’s difficult to speak when you’re losing oxygen to your lungs and brain, First Mate. Maybe we should loosen the hold a smidge so the lad can actually, y’know, speak?” the brunette from inside the kitchen came back, a piece of dried fruit dangling between his lips as he watched them in mild interest. 

“We should take them to Hongjoong.” He added, watching as the dog scurried to and fro on the ice, trying to charge at the blonde. His eyes narrowed before he made a fluid motion with his hand, a leash of ice appearing around Shiber’s collar. He grabbed Yeosang by the back of the collar, all but dragging him to the deck as the taller man followed behind them, chewing calmly on his snack. 

Yeosang sighed, defeated. 

Maybe, if he was lucky, he could get them to spare Shiber, at least. Pirates liked companions, right?

“Mon Putois, we found a stowaway.” 

Yeosang perked, blinking in surprise at the blonde holding him. 

“French? You speak French?” He inquired before he flinched at the man’s icy gaze. 

“A stowaway? That’s a first." A short man appeared in front of him, putting a hand on his hip as he looked at him, cocking his head to the side. He reviewed the man with the strange birthmark in interest.

Yeosang bit his lip, visibly shaking in the blonde man's grip as he forced himself to speak.

"P-please...just, don't hurt my brother."

"There's  _ more _ people stowed away?" The blonde leered before Yeosang shook his head. 

"N-no...I'm from the royal family of the town you left...my fam-...the royal family was killed. I'm the prince and my brother-the Royal Dog-is all that's left. If…you kill me, please promise on whatever pirate's honor that you won't hurt my brother. He's the only family I have. I'll...I'll haunt you and this ship if you hurt him."

The captain's brows went up before he laughed, a warm sound that made Yeosang frown in confusion. 

"I'm not gonna kill ya."

"You're  _ not _ ?" Both Yeosang and the blonde said in union. The tall brunette man snickered and put a hand on his hip as they were joined by two more curious brunettes.

"No, Seonghwa. I'm not. Look at him, he just wanted refuge."

"What, are you gonna take in every stowaway that makes their way onto this ship?"

"If I recall, I took in another gray-eyed prince from a burning castle, what's one more?"

“The fire was caused by  _ you, _ in the first place!”

Seonghwa's lip curled in distaste, but he eventually let Yeosang go, lowering the ice around Shiber's collar. The dog immediately ran to Yeosang's side, all but tackling the boy as he lapped and licked at his face. 

"Prince Seonghwa...you're a prince too?" Yeosang inquired, looking at the handsome blonde. Seonghwa shot him an intimidating look before he crossed his arms.

"Was. Past tense.  _ Was _ a prince."

Yeosang nodded, getting the hint to drop it. He looked back to the captain, bowing his head to the deck, shaking from the strain on his wounds.

"T-thank you...I swear I'll be useful to you. Here, this is all I have." He fished into his tattered shirt, setting his crown on the deck before reaching to Shiber's jeweled collar, placing it beside his crown. 

Hongjoong looked at the two offerings before he walked over and knelt down beside the shaking man.

"I'll take them, but you should go with Yunho and I to his chambers. You're hurt, aren't you? You've probably gotten an infection by now." He hummed. The tall brunette finished his snack and nodded. 

"Right, then. We should probably give him the rundown. I'm Yunho. The surgeon aboard the ship. I'll make sure you don't die. Ah, well, Hongjoong can do that better, but I'll do my best to make sure he doesn't have to." 

Yeosang's brows furrowed slightly before the two that joined him waved.

"Name's San."

"I'm Wooyoung! We're the sailing masters!" The slightly shorter of them spoke, his fingers laced with San as they eyed Yeosang curiously.

"Grumpy pants is Seonghwa, my first mate. Don't mind hum. He's a bit...standoffish around strangers. He'll warm up to ya. My name is Hongjoong and I'm the captain aboard this ship." 

Hongjoong smiled at him and helped him up while Seonghwa rolled his eyes, muttering in French, and then Turkish about how they were naive idiots.

Yeosang, having been a prince with his own language studies, understood perfectly, but didn't say a word, lest he anger the ex prince again.

"Ah, some of us are kind of...demons, too, but that's a bit of a long story. We can explain while Yunho cleans you up." Hongjoong smiles, drawing his attention again as if what he said was completely normal as he lead him down from the deck to the lower levels, Shiber and Yunho trotting happily in tow. 

“D...Demons? Wait, what?”

-1 Month Later-

Yeosang sat aboard the deck, sweat rolling down his brow as the sun beamed down on them. Wherever it was they were going, it was taking them a lengthy amount of time to get there. 

Their saving grace came in the form of Seonghwa's powers, keeping easily perishable food stored in a huge mass of ice he had formed in the cargo hold. He had gotten such a hold on his powers, he only needed to go down to the hold twice a week to refresh the ice to keep it from melting.

That, and Hongjoong's own powers, providing them with clean water to cook and drink with, as well as warm fresh water to wash every evening with. 

"You shouldn't be on the deck sweating up a storm if you don't need to be, little prince."

Yeosang looked up, cheeks flushed (whether from heat or embarrassment, he'd get back to you on that) as he looked at Seonghwa. The ex prince was shirtless, having ditched his normal clothes for looser cotton trousers as he practiced his swordsmanship in a corner of the ship. 

"I-I was just thinking of what to make for dinner, Pr-" he paused, noticing the way Seonghwa arched a brow at him before he cleared his throat.

"Seonghwa." He corrected himself before he watched the taller ex prince smile in approval, running a hand through his hair. Yeosang watched the motion, eyeing the compass mark on his wrist. 

His on the right. Hongjoong's was on his left wrist. Wooyoung's compass was located on his left pectoral, San's mirroring his on his right. 

Hongjoong explained to him what they meant when he and Yunho dressed his wounds that fateful night. 

Hongjoong's compass had five points left on it, each point with a color at the tip of the compass that almost looked like small gems.

Seonghwa's tattoo pointed to the East, the tip of his point being a creamy, bluish white color. Hongjoong explained the color meant Seonghwa had been the one to take his ice powers when he turned him into an immortal.

Wooyoung's pointed to the West, his point being a near metallic silver color. Idly, Yeosang wondered if it was actually some form of stone embedded in the arrows of their tattoos. It wouldn't surprise him, not after the whole knowledge of them being actual demons.

San's was Northwestern, his point in the area between where Wooyoung and Hongjoong's blue compass tips pointed. His was a brilliant bloody red color. 

Yeosang was drawn from his musings by the sounds of claws on the deck. He looked up as Shiber emerged from the Sailing Master room, nudging San before he took off to greet his owner. 

The prince smiled, petting his brother as Shiber bounced around eagerly. The old boy had made fast friends with the crew after the initial standoff, but he clearly favored San, Wooyoung, and Yunho as much as Yeosang and the timid man would be lying if he said his companion wasn't the reason he got the courage to try and form a friendship with them instead of cowering away. 

"Ah, pup. You must be thirsty." Hongjoong’s voice cut in as he approached the group, a black bandana covering his forehead, pushing his hair back out of his eyes as he knelt down. 

“Woo, can you make a bowl real quick?” The captain inquired, smiling at the eager way Wooyoung held his hand out, singing a few notes. 

The group watched as metal swirled around his hand before forming a bowl-like object. Wooyoung grinned happily, waving the bowl proudly at them. 

“Look! I’m getting better!”

Hongjoong chuckled and pet his head, smiling fondly at him. 

Yeosang watched them, curious. 

Hongjoong and Seonghwa were together, Wooyoung and San were together, both of those were facts. 

However, the four, and even Yunho at times, often acted in a way that made it hard for him to understand. 

It was like what his parents had done...but it didn’t feel hollow or greedy. 

Yeosang was very confused. 

“I’m glad you don’t mind me making you use your powers so often. I just want to make sure we all train and hone them so we don’t have to rely on heavy burst attacks when we fight, you know? Here, Shiber.” Hongjoong lowered the bowl, adding some water with a gentle wave of his hand. Seonghwa leaned over him, ghosting his hand over the surface to chill the water. 

Shiber, ever the pampered pooch, plopped down on the deck, lapping happily at the water.

“Seonghwaaaaaa. I’m bored. Spar with me.” San beamed, nudging the shirtless pirate. He arched a brow before chuckling, putting a hand on his hip. 

“A glutton for punishment, hm? Fine. Would you like to use your powers or one of my falcatas?”

“That’s not fair! I almost beat you last time!”

“You threw a barrel at me and we had to stop because we had to collect all the freshly caught fish you nearly killed.” 

The two playfully bickered while Wooyoung followed Hongjoong up to the wheel, talking excitedly about their next location, their hands brushing against each other every now and them from their close proximity. 

Yeosang shook his head. 

Yeah, he didn’t get it.

-2 Months Later-

He hummed as he lifted his pot lid, relaxing at the pleasant smell of beef stew that filled the galley. Delicate fingers reached into the small glass jar by his stove, adding a pinch of fresh spice to the mixture before settling the lid back on. Yeosang stood in the center of the galley, his hands behind his back as he rocked on the balls of his feet, a small smile on his face as he let his thoughts wander. 

_ Yunho gave me some herbs from his room, I should make tea for him, he works so hard… _

_ Is San gonna pop in and have a nibble over his shoulder? _

_ He hoped Prince Seonghwa would enjoy it… _

_ He should make extra for Wooyoung, he likes seconds and thirds. _

_ W-would the Captain eat it eagerly, too? _

When he turned, he startled, finding said captain leaning in the wooden frame of the entryway, surveying the galley-and him-with a thoughtful look. He bit his lip in anticipation as Hongjoong took a deep inhale.

“Ah, it smells great, Yeosang. Good job. We’re all looking forward to another delicious meal tonight.” He sent him a wink before pushing himself off the frame, disappearing deeper into the ship after kneeling down to pet Shiber’s head. 

Yeosang felt his knees go slightly weak before he straightened up, turning quickly to stir the stew, his cheeks ablaze.

What the hell is wrong with him? Daydreaming about the members of his crew like that-

“You know, you don’t have to hide from your true feelings so much. I’m pretty sure they don’t mind. I don’t, anyway.”

Yeosang screamed and startled Shiber awake, looking up to find Yunho’s tall form smiling down at him. He sent him a wide smile and strolled past him, Atlas comfortably wrapped around his neck. 

“I...I don’t-”

“You have feelings for them, don’t you?” Yunho inquired, dipping a spoon into the broth before lifting it to his lips, a satisfied moan leaving his lips at the flavor. Yeosang tensed and clenched his fist. 

“No.”

“Say that again, without lying.”

Yunho turned to him, tilting his head as he reviewed the smaller man’s body language. 

“It’s okay, you know. Like I said, I don’t mind. And I doubt they do, either. Hell, they’ve already started seeing each other romantically. You can tell.” He hummed, opening one of the jars by the stove. He beamed when he saw the dried fruit snacks inside, lifting one to his lips. 

“I...why don’t you mind? It’s not normal to...to have so many affections for more than one person, it can only end poorly.” Yeosang looked at his feet, thinking back to the circus of lovers both his mother and father paraded in and out of their home. Loveless, greedy, only fueled by lust-

“Mmm..I don’t think so. I think it depends on the people involved. I mean, I have two fathers and my mothers love them just fine.” Yunho mused, chewing thoughtfully. Yeosang blinked. 

“T...two? Each? As in four um...parents?” He questioned, brows furrowing. Yunho nodded, tilting his head before he stood in front of the cook. He lifted his chin, sending him an unreadable look that made Yeosang’s knees weak. 

“Follow your heart. You’ll be surprised where it leads you. So what if it’s beating for more than one person? Besides, like I said, I doubt that particular lot mind. Wooyoung’s new favorite place is Seonghwa’s lap and San won’t stop peppering our lovely captain with kisses, so I doubt they’d mind. And I don’t.” He pressed his lips to Yeosang’s head, lingering for longer than expected before he pulled away, winking at the flushed cook before he left him to his own devices. 

Yeosang stood at the center of the galley for much longer than he intended, and if anyone noticed the stew was  _ especially  _ tender for dinner, they didn’t say a word.

-x-

“What are you doing up here? It’s cold.” Yeosang looked up, watching as Hongjoong approached him. He blushed before looking up towards the moonlight. The moon was a beautiful crescent in the sky. 

“My head...has been really muddled lately, and I don’t know what to do.” He admitted. Hongjoong hummed before he wrapped an arm around him. Instantly, Yeosang felt warmth bloom around his body, and one look up told him it was Hongjoong’s doing. 

Right. Fire powers. 

Yeosang hesitantly put his head on Hongjoong’s shoulder, looking out at the rolling waves. 

“Do you want to talk about what’s gotten you so worried? Maybe I can help.” the smaller man offered. Yeosang closed his eyes, lips pursed. 

“I don’t know what love feels like...at least, romantic love, anyway. I’ve never felt it before, and the people around me growing up couldn’t be further from ‘in love’ but now I...I don’t know what I’m feeling.”

Hongjoong’s brows went up and he tilted his head, poking Yeosang in the chest, above his heart. 

“Aye, do you feel a hard thump when you get around them? Do you feel a pit in your stomach, but a pleasant feeling blooms through your body when you see them? I’d say that’s a good start. When I fell for Seonghwa-”

Hongjoong paused, blushing before he scratched his cheek, laughing in embarrassment. 

“Actually, I was annoyed. He wasn’t the most verbal of people, and he always makes fun of me, but I got close to him and now I can’t imagine him not being by my side.”

Yeosang looked down at his feet before he felt himself getting a bit bolder. 

“Do you feel the same about the others? About Wooyoung, and San? Even Yunho?” He pressed, his face close to Hongjoong’s. The man looked taken aback, flustered at their usually quiet cook being so forward. 

“I-”

“Answer me honestly. Do you feel as strongly for them as you do for Seonghwa? I need to know...I need to know if it’s possible…”

Hongjoong frowned and put his hands on Yeosang’s shoulders, leveling him with a look. 

“I don’t know what it is that you need to know, but I’d say...yeah, I do feel the same for them. I’m not sure how it happened, but I love them. Life’s a bit crazy to try and reason with everything, so I just went with the flow, you know? I’m not good at advice like this, I’m sorry-”

“Does that make it okay for me to feel the same? I’m not greedy for wanting you all to feel that for me, too, right?” Yeosang murmured. Hongjoong looked at him in surprise before his face softened and he sent him a warm smile.

"I don't see why not. If it's what your heart wants."

Yeosang shuffled and pressed a hesitant kiss to Hongjoong's cheek before smiling. His heart was still thundering in his chest, but he finally accepted his feelings.

Hongjoong kissed the top of his head and the two of them stood together, peacefully swaying on the waves.

-x-

"Have you seen Shiber? I went to give him breakfast, but I can't find him." Yeosang frowned, sticking his head into the Sailing Master room. Wooyoung looked up, tilting his head before he glanced at San.

The older man was asleep, snoring lightly. Normally when he napped, Shiber slept beside or on top of him.

Today, the old boy was absent.

Yeosang left the room, lips pursed as he decided to go to Yunho's cabin. 

An arm reached out for him and he startled, looking up to find Seonghwa's perplexed expression greeting him.

"Yeosang, did Shiber eat something bad? He's in the hold and I offered him some water but he didn't seem interested."

Yeosang's brows pinched together and he took off without a second thought, calling for the canine.

"Shiber? Shiber??"

He stopped short, finding his brother laying on his side between two barrels. Shiber stared at him, but made no move to come closer, keening quietly as he lowered his eyes.

"What's wrong, Shibe?" He knelt down, running his hand through Shiber's fur. Shiber licked his palm gently before crawling closer, settling his head on top of Yeosang's thigh. 

The cook frowned deeply. This wasn't normal. 

Footsteps approached him and the smell of dried fruit leaves and other herbs alerted him of Yunho's presence. The surgeon knelt down, his normal smile replaced with a neutral look. He reached out, petting Shiber's head before he glanced at Yeosang.

"Yeo...may I ask you a question?"

"...yes?"

"How...how old is Shiber?"

Yeosang's brows furrowed before he thought back to when he first encountered his old friend.

"I was seven when I adopted him."

"How old are you now?"

"20…"

"Was he a puppy?"

"He was an adult."

Yunho's lips pursed before he sighed.

"So at the very least, he's over 13 years old."

Yeosang swallowed thickly, shaking his head. He didn't like his tone. He didn't like it at all.

"Yunho-"

"Yeosang, he's ready to sleep."

Yeosang trembled, eyes widening before he looked down at Shiber. The dog had his eyes closed, his breathing coming out in small, irregular puffs. Yunho closed his eyes and put his arm around Yeosang. 

"We should make him comfortable."

"Hongjoong...Hongjoong can save-"

"I don't think he can turn someone who's not a human."

Yeosang broke down crying and Yunho sat with him, rubbing his arm, his eyes up to the ceiling as the younger pirate clung desperately to his best friend. 

-x-

"We can stay in this port for a while. I don't...I don't want to stress Yeosang out by putting him out to sea so soon after…" Hongjoong trailed off, looking down at his hands as he and the closest members of his crew sat with him in his quarters. They would arrive soon.

Yeosang had shut down on them soon after Shiber passed, and Yunho and Seonghwa both had to gently pry the boy off of his dog once Shiber closed his eyes the final time to rest. The small ex prince had no intention of letting go.

Wooyoung sighed and bit his thumbnail. 

"Can we do anything for him?" 

"Non. We should give him time to grieve." Seonghwa shook his head. San frowned, pacing.

"Some people shouldn’t be left alone when they mourn, Hwa. Are you sure we should leave him? Shiber was like family to him…”

Hongjoong pushed himself up off of his bed, resolution on his face. 

“I’ll go to him. I’ll spend the night with him.” He waved to the other men, easing their concerned expressions as he made his way down to Yeosang’s cabin. He tapped gently on the door, stepping back as he waited for the man to respond. 

“Yeosang, it’s me. Can I come in?”

He was met with silence before he sighed and twisted the handle, finding the door unlocked. Yeosang was curled up in his bed, his body trapped under the blankets they had bought in the last port. 

Shiber’s favorite.

“Yeo? Are you awake?”

A small sniffle caught his attention and his expression softened as he made his way into the room, closing the door gently. He sat down on the bed, gently petting Yeosang’s head until the man lifted it, looking at him with bloodshot eyes. 

In his hand was Shiber’s collar, given to Hongjoong all those moons ago in exchange for their stay. The pirate captain ended up hanging onto the item, and returned it when Shiber passed. 

“We’ll be in port tomorrow. We can lay him to rest then. Can I stay with you? I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone-”Hongjoong barely finished the sentence before Yeosang pulled him down, squeezing his shirt as he held onto the captain. 

“Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me. You-you all are all I have left.” 

The sentence sounded so broken coming from his lips, but Hongjoong nodded, wrapping his arms around Yeosang’s less defined frame. 

“I won’t. We won’t.” 

Yeosang tucked his head in the crook of his neck and listened to his breathing, eyes half lidded as it evened out. Once he was sure Hongjoong was asleep, he sat up, tears rolling down his face as he grabbed the sleeping captain’s hand. 

“Let me stay with you. F-forever, okay?” he gently pulled a small decorative paring knife Wooyoung made for him out from under his pillow. He made small slice on Hongjoong’s thumb before doing the same to his own, pressing their fingers together. 

He hoped...they were close enough for the bond to work-

Heat pooled into his body and Yeosang clamped his hands over his mouth to stifle his cry of pain. There was a low sound, akin to a growl resonating in his head before he passed out, still holding Hongjoong’s hand. 

-x-

“He’s avoiding everyone.” San sighed, watching as Yeosang left the inn, heading for the forest.

“It’s to be expected. He keeps visiting the forest where we buried Shiber. This is going to be the longest month for him.” Yunho muttered, tucking Atlas into one of his long coat pockets. They had stopped in a Grecian town to stay while Yeosang recovered, but it was the middle of winter, leaving the pirates in warmer clothing than usual.

Seonghwa was oddly quiet, eyeing Hongjoong's arm with his finger to his lips as the smaller man rested, his left arm tossed over his face. Wooyoung noticed the first mate and sat beside him, tilting his head. 

"Whatcha looking at, Hwa?"

"Mon putois...can I see your arm for a moment?" The blonde reached before their captain could respond, grabbing him with a little more force than intended as he eyed his wrist.

Four points.

"...Hongjoong."

The smaller pirate opened his eyes, ready to tell Seonghwa off when he noticed he was missing a point on his compass. He jolted up, touching the marks before he looked out of the window.

"Yeosang."

-

"Wait, you can forge pacts like that?!" San barked as they ran out of the inn. As soon as they did, they noticed the forest was on fire. Hongjoong cursed and took off full speed 

"I think all you need is blood and a bond...so..I'm guessing yes." Seonghwa grunted, following behind him with Wooyoung and San in tow. They made Yunho stay behind-despite his protests-since none of them were too eager to have the human get injured again trying to tame demons.

They ran deep into the forest, knowing exactly where they buried Shiber. 

Before they could get close, a plume of fire floated in front of them before it split into four different plumes.

"Seonghwa...you should let him mourn. You know how it is to lose family, don't you?"

Seonghwa tensed, stepping away as the plume in front of him took the form of his mother. Queen Daliah shook her head, sending him a disapproving look. Seonghwa's brows rose as he stared at her. 

"M-mother…?"

Wooyoung and Hongjoong were in the same boat, staring down glowing illusions of their mothers. In Wooyoung's case, his father, as well.

San leered at the plume before he scoffed. 

"What? You don't have shit for me because I don't give a rat's ass about my family. Let me through, you're stalling." He hissed at the plume and it flicked before disappearing.

San pulled Wooyoung back from touching the illusions, snapping him out of his haze. 

"Woo! It's not real! Get a hold of yourself!" He slapped him, frowning at the yelp that left his lips before he rubbed his cheek, looking back at the plumes to find them distorting before disappearing.

Seonghwa's fingers twitched, stopping before he reached for his 'mother'. He closed his eyes, exhaling deeply before he opened them, finding the illusion fading. 

Hongjoong grit his teeth, his blood boiling as he stormed past the illusion of Jihyo. They followed him, watching the way his eyes bled into their blue color, the veins appearing on his face as they reached a clearing they'd been to dozens of times since settling in town. 

"KANG YEOSANG!" Hongjoong barked, the earth trembling from the force of his anger. 

In the center of the clearing, was Yeosang.

He was on his knees, hugging an illusion of Shiber as he avoided their gaze. 

"Look at me! What did you do?!" Hongjoong snapped, storming up to close the distance between them. Yeosang trembled and held onto Shiber tighter.

"Go ahead. Tell them what you did, you spineless coward." An illusion of a woman they didn't recognize appeared behind Yeosang, burning his skin as she pressed her hands to his shoulders. 

"Pathetic. Worthless. Coward."

Yeosang cried out and clung to 'Shiber' tighter.

"J-joong, his demon self is..its hurting him…" Wooyoung frowned, watching as the girl's fire scorched Yeosang's clothes. 

"Yeosang, I want you to look at me. Look me in the eyes and explain why you brought my mother into this." Hongjoong's voice was a low rumble as he continued walking closer, fists clenched. Yeosang raised his head and panicked, terrified of the pure rage on Hongjoong's face.

"N-no...no don't look at me like that…'

Emelia's doppelganger laughed, wrapping her hands around his throat. 

"Look! They'll all kill you for what you did! Pathetic!"

Seonghwa looked between them and cursed, snatching Hongjoong back by the shoulder. The captain leered at him, but he didn't back down.

"Let me handle this."

"No. Not like this. You're never going to get through him if you scare him. You know how this goes. He didn't mean to, putois." The blonde stood chest to chest with him, shaking from his own anger.

"It hurt me too. I watched my mother have a sword thrust through her chest. Do you think I enjoy seeing his demon self toy with my emotions?" He added. Hongjoong frowned before he looked over at Yeosang, eyes widening at the fire that swirled around him.

"I just...I just wanted to be loved...why is it just me? Why can't anyone love me and stay like Shiber?" He trembled, eyes glowing red as tears rolled down his cheek. Two snow white ears appeared on his head, a bushy, paintbrush like tail swaying above his rear as the form of Shiber and Emelia merged above him. Marks appeared on his cheeks and forehead and the quartet took a step back as the fire in the forest grew wilder. Hongjoong's shoulders slumped, realizing his error.

"Yeosang-"

"I didn't do anything! I just want to live and be loved too! So why?! Why am I the punching bag?! Why can't I be happy?!" He screamed, curling into himself as the fire formed into an amalgamation of a fox and Shiber. 

"Why...why did he leave me too…" Yeosang whined, his voice broken. From above him, the beast spoke, dripping malice like venom onto the vulnerable demon.

"How long until they can't save you from me anymore, little one?" It chuckled before stepping in front of Yeosang, flames dripping from its maw like drool. 

"How long will you hurt them before they turn their back on you and let the flames take you, just like your sisters did?"

Yeosang choked and screamed again and the beastly kitsune lunged for the others. 

Seonghwa threw up a wall, but it was fruitless, melting as soon as it went up. Wooyoung was having a hard time across from them, cursing as the kitsune bit through his blades, melting the metal effortlessly. 

San cursed, looking towards Hongjoong for instructions.

The small pirate lifted a hand, a gust of wind pushing them back, out of range of the blast of fire that came from the kitsune. 

"Putois, what the hell are you doing?!" Seonghwa snapped, trying to cut down the stone Hongjoong lifted to separate them from the fight. 

"Let me handle this. That's an order." Hongjoong responded, water swirling around his feet as he got closer. 

The kitsune watched him before sneering.

"Look at how mad he is, Yeosang. All because of you." It growled. "Let me take over, I'll make the pain go away. Give in to me."

Hongjoong grit his teeth, scales appearing on his cheeks as his anger rose. 

"Let him  _ go _ ."

Behind him, a dragon formed, and the kitsune stepped away, the flames around its tail bristling like fur. 

"Make me."

The dragon and kitsune amalgamation lunged at each other while Hongjoong stalked closer to Yeosang's crumpled form. The flames surrounding the cook licked at Hongjoong's skin, but he didn't care as he walked through the fire.

"Please...please...no…" Yeosang looked up weakly, eyes bloodshot. The kitsune turned and lunged at Hongjoong, but he flicked his hand without looking back.

The water dragon tackled the kitsune, biting down on its throat. A flood of water rained down on the beast until it was no more, the embers dying under the sheets of rain. 

Yeosang pushed himself away, trying to summon another Shiber illusion to cling onto when Hongjoong pulled him up by the collar, glaring hard at him as the rain bit at their skin. 

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I-"

"Shiber is your brother, isn't he? And you did that to him? You made an illusion of him? Is replacing a loved one as easy as wagging your tail and making a new one?"

Yeosang's eyes grew and he shoved Hongjoong hard, though it wasn't enough to push him off. 

"I don't want him to leave me!"

"You don't want to let him rest? He's been by your side all these years, protecting you, and you won't let him rest peacefully without replacing him with some phony?!"

Yeosang's arms dropped as he looked at Hongjoong, tears rolling down his face with the rain.

"Imagine how Shiber feels...if he could watch you create an illusion and call it him. If he means so much to you, don't be so quick to make fakes in his image. If you need a companion, you have us. If you want to take care of a puppy to honor Shiber, we can do that. But don't you dare start creating illusions and disrespect those not here with us ever again, Kang Yeosang." Hongjoong scolded him, letting his shirt go. 

Yeosang nearly toppled over, had Hongjoong not have pulled him in for a firm kiss, holding him close as the rain soaked them to their core. 

When he broke it, Hongjoong looked him in the eyes, their foreheads pressed together. 

"Never again. I love you. We love you. You're beautiful, and your life is beautiful. Don't let those words cut into you anymore. Not with us around." He gently told him, rubbing his cheeks. Yeosang nodded, closing his eyes and falling to his knees as the others approached them.

-x-

"I...I understand if you don't want to talk to me ever again, or if you want to hit me for what I did."

"Yeosang."

"I...I never meant to hurt anyone. I lied, I forced a pact with you and stole these powers and-"

Seonghwa rolled his eyes and put a finger to Yeosang's lips to quiet him while Hongjoong tried to speak. The smaller man frowned but their captain seemed pleased by the move.

"I'm not mad about the pact. I probably would have asked you to make one with me, anyway. You've proven yourself. Just make sure you're not getting stuck in your own head, okay? We do love you, you know." Hongjoong smiled at him and ruffled his hair. 

Yeosang blushed and watched him leave, off to give some errands to the crew. Seonghwa watched him leave and chuckled, putting an arm over the smaller ex prince. 

"Calm your heart. We're here. Mon putois once told me something important when I was transforming. We're here, we're family. You can lean on us." He cooed to him before kissing his temple. Yeosang watched him leave before a small smile graced his face as he exited the inn himself.

"There you are! C'mon! We're going to the market! I want something sweet for dessert!" Wooyoung cheered, waiting outside with San and Yunho. Yeosang joined them, biting his lip. 

"Sorry." He apologized quickly and San grinned, kissing him briefly before nodding towards town.

"If you're sorry, shake the lead out of your boots and let's get moving. You're gonna teach us how to make it, anyway."

Yeosang blinked as Yunho linked arms with him, pulling him along. He tilted his head and pointed to himself.

"Wait, I am?"

They all sent him broad smiles and he felt his heart flutter.

"Ah, of course. Let's hurry, then. I have just the desserts in mind. I'll show you how to shape some pasties into animals. The dog-shaped tarts are my favorite."


	5. Fifth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yunho-Centric Origin Chapter  
No Content Tws~ (Surprising, I know)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~ I just wanted to shamelessly plug my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) like always. In my masterlist, I have a (long ass) playlist I made for AtT, as well. Feel free to stop by to make some friends, cry about demon pirate boys, or just tell me about your day~ Please enjoy this chapter and if you could, please review~ It means the whole world to me!

-Age 6-

“Yunho, do you understand? I...I feel more comfortable being…’daddy’ than ‘mommy’. Does that make sense?” 

Yunho tilted his head as one of his parents knelt down to him. 

He stared at the person across from him and smiled, nodding happily as he bounced into his arms, hugging him tight. 

“You want me to call you daddy instead? Okay! Oh, can we still make flower crowns, or should I ask Momma Val?” He pulled away, pursing his lips in wonder. 

His father, Robin, blinked in surprise at how easily the child rebounded from the confession. He put his hand on top of Yunho’s head, lips parted. 

“Do...do you understand fully?” He pressed gently, making sure he was on the same page as the child. Yunho nodded without hesitation, raising his chin as he pointed to himself. 

“You’re a boy! Like me and Papa. Right?” 

Robin exhaled and ran a hand through his long black locks, a gentle laugh leaving his lips as he nodded, kissing the top of Yunho’s head. 

“Of course you understand, I forgot who I was talking to, my smart boy. Come, let’s get some fresh flowers today.” Robin chuckled, standing and taking his son’s hand as they left Yunho’s bedroom. When they exited, he was met with three pairs of curious eyes. 

Their husband, Lloyd, wrung his hands, sending Robin a hopeful look. At either side of him was both of their wives, a woman with wild red hair, Valeria, and a short, freckled woman with hair as black as coal, Mei. 

Robin smiled gently and nodded once, ruffling Yunho’s chocolate hair as the child waved at them. 

“Daddy Robin and I are gonna go get some flowers!” 

The tension in all of their shoulders faded as they exchanged a look with one another. 

“I’ll grab the shopping list. I have some herbs to pick up for my newest tea!” Mei hummed, turning on the balls of her feet as she gracefully went upstairs. Valeria walked behind Robin, tying his hair back as she began to speak. 

“We oughta get you some new clothes, love. Lloyd’s aren’t exactly fitting you well. Oh, you should let me choose!” She cheered, clapping her hands together as she rounded around to look at her husband. He arched a brow and shook his head. 

“No brown.”

“Darling, you wear too much black already. Any more and the townsfolk will think you’re ready for a funeral.”

“In our line of work, that’s not all wrong.”

The two gently bickered as Yunho walked to the door, stepping out onto the porch. 

His family lived around half an hour away from town, so they had to saddle up on both of their mules and set off to the nearest town. 

His home was in a grove, mere yards away from the road that lead to town. He rolled his neck on his shoulders and breathed in deep. The Gumbo Limbo trees outside rustled gently with the breeze. A sweet, almost nutty scent passed by his nose as he skipped down the cobblestone pathway that lead out to the dirt road. 

Valeria’s plants rustled at either side of the stones, neatly framing the pathway as Yunho bounced eagerly. 

“Settle down, my little puppy. We still have to get old Milo and Kabu ready.” Mei, his birth mother, gently reminded him. She gracefully came behind him, a sun hat on her head as she put her hand over Yunho’s head, waving at some travellers that passed their comfy home. 

Yunho puffed his cheeks out, but smiled after a moment, batting his eyes at her. 

“Since we have to wait, can I have some mangoes?”

“Did you pick mangoes from my tree again without waiting, puppy?”

“....nooooo-”

“You little brat.” His mother gently flicked his forehead before she turned and lead him back inside so she could cut the fruit for him while they waited for the others. 

-x-

Sometimes they got weird looks from outsiders when they traveled to town. And for people who didn’t know them well, Yunho could kind of understand. 

His fathers were both from this island, situated in the Caribbean. Many people knew them well, as they were raised as childhood friends for the longest time. Yunho had never met his birth father-Mei made sure of that-but both Lloyd and Robin took them in shortly after they arrived in town when Yunho was but a mere child. Valeria had came along when he was three, and for as long as he could remember, his family had been close. 

“Ah, Robin! How did...y’know...go?” One of his father’s favorite shopkeepers inquired, subtly pointing to the child while he took Valeria’s hand, skipping happily to another keeper that had an array of beautiful flowers and seeds. Robin turned his gaze towards the two before he put a hand on his hip, his dreads secured in a high bun on top of his head. 

“He took the news smoothly. That kid really is so mature for his age.” He mused. The shopkeeper exhaled happily and clapped Robin on the shoulder as Lloyd walked up to both of them. 

“That’s fantastic! Come, come inside! I have some new books I think you would be interested in! I’ll even give you on on the house to celebrate!” The old gentleman cheered. Robin blinked in surprise, but Lloyd gently pushed him inside, thanking the shopkeeper. 

Down the market, Yunho peeked over some potted plants, squinting as he pointed to a particularly large flower. 

“Mama, that one looks super pretty!” He turned, tugging at Valeria’s long skirt lightly. She turned and tilted her head, stepping closer as she knelt down, getting eye to eye with the plant. She took one of the leaves in her fingers, gently rubbing her thumb and index finger across it. Yunho watched her like a hawk before he grabbed one of the leaves as well, running his fingers over it to mirror her.

“We want to check to see if the ol’ lass is healthy enough to come home with us. What did ma teach you?” She inquired with a wink, her Irish accent strong as she spoke to him. 

“Check the leaves, the roots, the petals.” Yunho recited, lifting the leaf so he could look under it for any signs of pests or disease in the plant. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at it closely, doing the same to a few more leaves before he nodded, satisfied. 

Valeria smiled at him and watched as he lifted the pot gently to see if the flowers had become rootbound. He didn’t see any roots towards the bottom, and a wide smile crossed his face when he moved some of the leaves aside to check the top of the pot, finding that they were in check as well. 

“I think this one’s okay, Ma!” He grinned. Valeria kissed the top of his head and stood to her full height, walking the plant over to the counter with Yunho happily in tow. 

“Keep! I’ll get this one. The lad has spoken.” she laughed, loud and full of life as Yunho grinned beside her, waving at the shop owner. 

The woman’s gaze softened as she nodded, taking Valeria’s coins in exchange for the potted blooms. 

“These are some fresh Hibiscus flowers, lad. Make sure you take good care of them with your mother, okay?” The keeper told Yunho, smiling knowingly at the way the small child grabbed the pot. He nodded, puffing his chest out as he held it protectively. 

“I will!” 

Yunho wandered around the town with Valeria and Mei once they joined back up with the latter woman, gathering some new dry leaves for Mei’s teas before they packed up and readied themselves for home. 

As Lloyd and Robin rode the mules home, Yunho sat between his mothers, listening to Mei sing an old Korean folk song while Valeria ran her fingers through his chocolate hair, rocking him gently. The child hugged the potted hibiscus close to his body, falling asleep gently. 

-Age 10- 

“Please help! He’s been complaining about his stomach for weeks now and...and…”

“Breathe, tell me the symptoms, Yunho make sure you pay attention.” 

Yunho sat up straight as Lloyd looked down at the man on his table. The man’s wife had made a long journey to them specifically to save him. She sent him a strange look before turning to Lloyd. 

“I’m sorry, did you just ask the child to-”

“ _ My _ child, yes. And he’s being medically trained under my supervision. Now, again, the symptoms, ma’am.” Lloyd’s voice was curt as he pointed to the writhing man on the table, arching a thick brow. 

The man’s wife sighed and nodded, rattling off some symptoms and for how long the man was having them. When she was finished, even Yunho had a relieved look on his face. 

Liver problems and a fever. From the looks of it, something they could manage without surgery. 

“Yunho, go with Mei and pluck some noni, gavilana, peppermint, and lemongrass for me. Hand it to Robin and tell him all the symptoms. They’ll both brew us up something for our patient.” Lloyd instructed. Yunho nodded and grabbed a basket from the door leading outside. 

Mei was already waiting, her short hair pulled back into a small bun as she rolled her sleeves up, dirt on her fingers as she tugged at the weeds between their plants. Valeria wasn’t too far off, cursing under her breath at the pesky weeds. 

“Eomma, I have the list for our patient.” Yunho informed them, and Mei perked, wiping her brow as she looked at her son. She extended her hand, looking over to the list with her lips pursed. Her eyes scanned it before she put a hand on her hip, nodding. 

“Okay. Yunho, go grab a ripe sapodilla or two for eomma. There’s a lot of bitterness in these plants and I don’t want our patient not drinking all of the brew because of the taste.” Mei instructed. Valeria huffed. 

“Oi, I say just give it to the lad straight. Did you see how rude his wife came up to our door? Damn near trampled my flowers! The cunt-”

“Valeria! Our child is right here!” 

Yunho laughed under his breath as his mothers bickered, walking over to eye the sapodillas. He felt some of them, satisfied with a particular two before he plucked them from the tree, adding them to Mei’s basket when he returned. 

“Okay, come, we can work together on this.” Mei offered, grabbing his hand and settling the basket on top of her head, holding the edge with her free hand as she made her way back into the house. 

Robin was seated at the kitchen table, listening to Lloyd instruct the wife of their patient on how she could help by  _ letting them do their jobs _ as politely as he could. Robin noticed Mei and Yunho joining him and stood, heading to the cabinet to grab three different mortars and pestles. 

Mei kissed his cheek gratefully, setting the basket in the center of the table while she took the one made of riverstone, humming as she began to grind the peppermint leaves she had plucked down into paste. Robin took all of the herbal plants, his grip strong as he took a small portion for Yunho’s mortar. 

The child sat beside him, taking the small dog-shaped mortar in his hand. It had been gifted to him by a sculptor in town for his 10th birthday. He stuck his tongue out slightly, grinding the herbs as he listened to Robin and Mei gently converse about the medical status of their patient and potential reasons for his ailments. 

For most other children, the technical terms would go right above their heads, or disinterested them, but Yunho followed close with the conversation, having read over all of his fathers’ medical books, as well as asked plenty of questions to all of his parents as far as the ins and outs of the human body. 

Yunho wanted to grow up and be a doctor all of his parents could be proud of.

Determined, he ground down the herbs with precision, a small smile on his face. 

-Age 15-

Yunho grunted, falling flat on his bottom as Robin moved above him. The man looked at him carefully, putting a hand on his hip as he remained crouched. 

“Did I hit you too hard? We can always stop.” He informed his son, his dreads dangling past his shoulders as he tilted his head. Yunho shook his head, adamant as he pushed himself up to his feet, crouching his body down. Robin smiled at him, impressed. 

“Keep the beat in your head, shift your weight from foot to foot. Use your whole body. You’ve grown into quite a tall boy, so at first it may be difficult. I promise, once you get it, you’ll be truly devastating.” Robin encouraged him, moving side to side as he waited for Yunho to get his tempo in his head. 

“Rob, you hurt my baby and you sleep on the floor.” Mei threatened, pursing her lips as Yunho moved first, twisting his body to spin, sending a kick towards his father. Robin laughed merrily, crouching lower to dodge the kick and sending the leg he didn’t have his weight on backwards, kicking Yunho firmly in the ass to make him stumble. 

The teen had taken an interest in learning self defense, especially after seeing Robin and Mei effortlessly dispatch of a band of rowdy young adults that had tried to break into their garden to steal their herbs. 

Mei was hesitant to teach Yunho Hapkido, for fear of hurting the teen, but Robin had jumped at the chance to teach his son Capoeira. 

Yunho grit his teeth and twisted his body sharply when his father went to respond to her. 

His legs were like a windmill, catching Robin in the jaw before he landed. He lost his footing and fell, scraping his knee on a rock on the ground on the way down.

“YAH! WHAT DID I SAY?!” Mei leapt up, rushing over to the two as she examined them both. Robin touched his nose, blinking when he saw the blood between his fingers. He looked at his horrified son and sent him a thumbs up. 

“You’ve never gotten acrobatic before! Good job! I’m so proud of you!”

“Shut up, tilt your head back, you reckless fool.” Mei huffed, leaning over him to examine his nose and make sure it wasn’t broken. 

Yunho hesitantly walked around the frame of his mother to look at his father to see if he was mad, but he was met with a pair of kind brown eyes glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. 

“Great job, my boy. We’ll continue as soon as your mother stops fretting.” he beamed, pouting when Mei flicked his head. 

“Be careful, or I’ll kick your ass myself.”

“Is that a promise?”

Yunho let the two go back and forth, getting himself back in position, idly practicing his kicks while he waited. 

In no time, Robin had joined him once more, the two going back to their rhythmic fighting under Mei’s watchful eye. 

-Age 16-

Yunho smiled, holding up a berry to the small monkey that curiously approached him as he and Valeria hiked through a forest not too far from their home to forage for berries for a dessert and tea Lloyd and Mei wanted to make, respectively. She noticed the addition and shook her head, laughing lightly.

“Ah lad, it still amazes me how everywhere we go, there always seems to be some creature that just gravitate to you. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were some kind of nature fairy in disguise.” she joked, watching the tiny mammal sift through Yunho’s hair for bugs that weren’t there before he handed it another berry. 

Valeria paused her berry picking to  to sit on the forest floor, beckoning Yunho over to her. He gently set the monkey down, watching it scurry up a tree before he sat beside his mother. She pulled him close, settling her head on top of his as she rocked gently.

"Every day, you make me so happy and proud I came here from Ireland, lad. You and the others are my reason for breathing, and I couldn't ask for a better life than the one I have now. No matter where the world may take you, stay true to who you are, Yunho."

Yunho closed his eyes, settling his head on his mother's shoulder, breathing in the scent of her beloved flowers that always clung to her skin. She ran her fingers through his hair.

Soon after the two returned home, the family sat down at their large wooden table, exchanging stories of the day's adventures while smiling ear to ear.

-x-

"I'm saying I don't like it, Lloyd."

Yunho frowned as he watched his father button up his shirt. Mei, Valeria, and Robin were adamantly trying to dissuade him from going to take a patient on another island. The trip wasn't long, probably only a month and a half at max if the weather was good- but the island in question was in the middle of a nasty war and it made anxieties rise at the idea of him walking into danger like that.

"If they want us to heal their general so damn bad, he can come here. I don't see why we should send out own when they need our help." Robin snapped. Lloyd closed his eyes for a moment before he turned to them all, a small smile on his face.

"The general is an old friend of mine. I owe him one. I know this isn't ideal, but I'll be back before you know it, okay? Now come, give me kisses before I go." He urged, opening his arms.

Valeria moved first, her wild hair flying every which way as she kissed him like he had already gone and returned. Robin and Mei followed suit, leaving Yunho awkwardly standing in the living room. He wrung his hands before he looked up at his expecting father.

Lloyd smiled gently at him and urged him once more, and Yunho crossed the distance between the two of them, hugging his father tight. He stood a head above his father, as puberty had treated him well in the height department. Lloyd rubbed his son's back before he pulled away, squeezing his shoulders.

  
  


"Take care of your other parents while I'm gone. I'll be back, and I'll bring you something nice, I promise." He ruffled Yunho's hair and turned to leave, grabbing his suitcase. Yunho watched his father go with pursed lips.

This was different. He had a bad feeling.

-x-

Always trust your gut.

"The ship was wrecked in a storm. We haven't found any sign of Lloyd...I'm...I'm sorry."

Yunho felt like his body was numb as Mei collapsed behind him. The town's leader had come to them with the news, his eyes downcast. Valeria covered her mouth, tears rolling down her sun kissed cheeks as she shook her head. Robin clenched his fists and raised his head.

"Were anyone found from the wreck?"

"Some bodies, some survivors."

He exhaled and wiped his hands off on his pants.

"Then, I'm sorry, but please don't speak of our husband like he's dead. Until I see a body, I will have hope that he's out there. Thank you." He politely and curtly told him. The town leader blinked in surprise before he chuckled.

"Of course. We'll pray for you and his safe return, then."

-Age 17-

"Hello, I'd like to purchase that blade right there." Yunho hummed, looking at the scalpel in the shop. The keeper eyed him.

"Aren't you a bit young to be looking at medical equipment?"

"No. Also, I'm paying so…”

The keeper eyed him for another moment before shrugging, going to reach for the scalpel when a hand reached past Yunho's picking the scalpel up before either men could. Yunho frowned as the man with a cloak over his head raised the scalpel, humming as he admired it.

"Um...Excuse me, but that's the item I was going to buy-"

"No need. I'll buy it for you. Consider it a late birthday gift."

Yunho's eyes widened as he pulled the man's hood down, finding the smiling face of his father.

"D-dad?"

"I didn't bring anything cool back like I promised, but I can buy this to make up for it." He chirped, nearly falling from the force of Yunho's crushing hug.

"I thought- I thought you died!"

"I thought I would die too, but I was saved. By pirates, no less." he chuckled. Yunho's brow furrowed.

Pirates?

"Come, let's get home. I have a lot of tears to get out and I miss my partners as much as I miss my son. It's easy to explain all at once." Lloyd proposed. Yunho nodded, just happy to look his father in the eyes again.

Life saving pirates, huh?

-Age 18-

Yunho hummed as he looked over his belongings. Mei stood in the doorway, her arms crossed as he shuffled around the room, a small bird perched on his shoulder.

"I just got the love of my life back from the sea, only to lose my son." she mused. Yunho pursed his lips as he turned to his mother, sending her a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, eomma. I just...I feel the need to do this. I need to meet the pirates who saved dad. I want to see who's responsible."

Mei exhaled before she crossed the room, cupping his cheeks. She rubbed them, tilting her head to the side as her son towered over her.

"Be safe. Be smart. Come back to visit or eomma will haunt you forever." She threatened lightly before kissing his cheeks.

"Come, we'll see you off. I wish you luck on this journey."

-x-

Yunho had gotten word of the infamous  _ Utopia  _ crew arriving in the port at the other end of the island he lived on, so he set off to finally see who were the ones who delivered his father back to him.

Lloyd spoke fondly of them, his gaze faraway as he recounted the months he spent with them.

A pirate crew ran by a straight laced woman named Jihyo, though she was simply Hyo at port.

Her first mate, Kang Daniel, the calm voice of reason for the fiery woman.

Her Quartermaster, Psy, an old man who was wise from his years out at sea.

And Hongjoong, the adopted son of Captain Hyo. 

Yunho dusted his coat off, pushing a pair of glasses up on his nose as he headed deeper into town, his coat tails flapping behind him.

-x-

“Okay, we could try getting something to soothe Woo’s throat. He’s been coughing up a storm.” San hummed, looking over the array of teas and plants, his brow raised. 

Seonghwa scanned over the plants, his lips pulled into a frown. 

“I am not well versed in botany. My studies were in language and warfare.” He muttered as he looked between one basket of dried leaves, to the next. He couldn’t tell the difference between the two and the annoyance shone on his face because of it. 

“Mon putois, what do you think-” He turned, finding Hongjoong over by the counter, placing a coin on it as he waved at a small, old woman. 

“There you are. You should be able to get all the leaves you wanted now, right?” He inquired. The woman looked at him before she held his hands together in hers, a gentle look on her face. 

“Oh...thank you, lad. Something good is going to come your way. Bless you, child. Bless you.” She kissed his hands before she took the small pouch of leaves, slowly making her way out. 

“Captain is back at it again, I see.” Wooyoung grinned, standing between Seonghwa and San. Seonghwa laughed lightly. 

“Of course he is.” 

“Hongjoong, take a break from helping old ladies and come help us choose something for Wooyoung.” San complained, though he was smiling, as well.

Off to the side, a tall man watched the quartet, before eyes fell onto the small man that joined them. Hongjoong? The captain? What happened to Jihyo?

Yunho watched the men struggle for a bit before he closed the distance between them, clearing his throat for their undivided attention. 

“Pardon me, but if the lad’s throat is hurting, I suggest you brew some form of tea that helps with inflammation. There’s some ginger right here, you can brew a ginger tea. Or if you take some sage and echinacea right here. Ah, if you want something with a sweeter flavor, add some honey or a squeeze of lemon to balance out the tastes.” He pointed to each bin as he spoke.

He looked up, suddenly flustered by his actions as all four of the men stared at him in wonder. 

“Woah, is that so? We’ll be sure to try it out! Thank you!” Hongjoong sent him a smile and Yunho bit the inside of his cheek. 

Oh yeah, this definitely was the one his father mentioned. Small in stature, big in heart. With an array of piercings down his ears and a warm smile. 

He must have zoned out for too long, because he blinked back into focus to find all of the men had paid and left. 

The young surgeon ran a hand through his hair, cursing. 

“Shit. I blanked.” He shook his head and grabbed his suitcase. 

That’s alright. They had just arrived in town. Yunho could always introduce himself later.

-x-

That evening, Yunho visited the local tavern, practically bouncing in excitement when he found the group of pirates once more. He sat down at a table not too far from them, listening quietly as they talked to one another.

Over the next hour, he found out that yes, Hongjoong was the captain of  _ Utopia,  _ but also the tall blonde with the thick eyebrows was his First Mate. The two men who were attached at the hip were Sailing Masters. 

Such an interesting crew. 

It’s no wonder Lloyd came back with such fond stories. 

Yunho decided then and there that he would approach the Captain first thing in the morning. They were lacking a medical expert and he wanted to make himself useful to some of the people that helped save his father’s life. 

Satisfied, Yunho brought his cup up to his lips, taking a deep drink. 

-The Next Day-

“I really want to explore. I’ve never been to the Caribbean before.” San mused, his hands behind his head as he walked. Woo nodded, brushing shoulders with Seonghwa as they walked. The ex prince hip checked him and snickered behind his hand when the young man yelped and stumbled.

“Putois is probably going to keep us in port for a while, so we could explore. We should find a local to show us around so we don’t get disoriented.” he proposed. Both of the younger pirates bounced eagerly. 

Hongjoong yawned as they headed to  _ Utopia  _ to make sure the crew was set with their instructions for supplies to buy for the day. As they approached, they noticed the same tall man from before looking up at their ship, a small smile on his face. 

“Oh, it’s the guy from before! I should tell him thank you, my throat feels leagues better! Hey!” Wooyoung called, startling the people around him. Hongjoong frowned. 

“Gods, I would’ve never been able to tell your throat was sore in the first place.” Seonghwa spoke what they were all thinking as they turned their attention to the tall man. He looked at them in delight as he turned, picking his suitcase up. He went to step towards them when someone roughly slammed into him, attempting to take his suitcase. 

In a flash, Yunho’s jaw set, his grip on the suitcase tight as he turned sharply, grabbing the man by the wrist, tossing him effortlessly to the ground. He arched a brow at the downed man, tilting his head. 

“Ah? What’s this?” He questioned, noticing two more men moving closer from the crowd. Realization dawned on the man as he clicked his tongue. 

Expensive looking clothes and an expensive looking suitcase, so naturally they were trying to rob him. 

Unfortunate. 

Yunho shed his coat, sighing as he put it over his suitcase, unbuttoning his cufflinks as the third man began to rise up. 

“I don’t know what you think you’re getting out of this, but I can assure you, it won’t be worth what I will do to you if you don’t stand down now. This is your only warning.” 

The men didn’t seem impressed, if the switchblades the drew were anything to go by. Yunho sighed and crouched down, taking note of the three of them and the crowd around them for any potential additions to the fight. 

His body swayed from left to right, a gentle hum vibrating through his being as he hummed the tune to some unknown song in his head, his movements almost mesmerizing. 

One of the men finally snapped, rushing for him, swiping wildly at Yunho’s face.

In a flurry of motion, Yunho turned sharply, ducking under the man’s blade. He pivoted, doing a full 360, swinging one of his long legs back with the momentum, kicking him hard in the jaw. He hadn’t lowered his leg fully before he noticed the other man charging at him. 

His balance perfect, the brunette surgeon snapped the same leg back, kicking the other robber square in his chest. 

Yunho got back down into his position, body swaying as he leered at the original man. 

“W-wait...I’ve seen that kind of fighting before…” Hongjoong muttered, watching the tall man as he shifted from left to right, his arms close to his body as he swayed. The first man cursed at him in a language Hongjoong didn’t know, but the tall man only laughed, his body still moving, his feet constantly readjusting below him.

“Still no? You haven’t learned enough? Come at me, then.” He challenged, the playful mirth in his eyes disappearing the moment the first man charged at him. Yunho ducked down, rolling his body so his weight was on his hands. 

The pirates and onlookers watched in awe as he rolled into a full handstand, kicking the man hard in his jaw. Before he fell fully, Yunho snapped one of his legs down hard, kicking him in the back of the head before the surgeon backflipped, righting himself on his feet once more as he watched the other two men now that their leader had been incompacitated. 

They didn’t seem pleased as they shouted at him, rushing once more. 

Yunho rolled his eyes ever so slightly before he swept one man’s foot, palming him hard in the chest, knocking the wind out of him on the way down. The last man swiped wildly, growing more and more frustrated as Yunho all but danced away from him. 

In one last fit of rage, the final man tried to stab Yunho in the abdomen. 

Yunho side stepped, grabbing his wrist and pulling him forward, driving his knee full force into his stomach before he chopped him in the back of the neck on the way down. 

He stayed crouched for a moment, body back to its original rhythm before he noticed none of the men were getting back up. He hummed, standing to his full height as he knelt down to check the pulse of all three men. 

Satisfied with the faint pulse, he nodded and turned back towards the flabbergasted pirates. 

The brunette smiled wide, dusting off his trousers like nothing had happened. The strange man adjusted the glasses balanced on his nose with two fingers. 

Wooyoung and San leaned over, looking past his tall form to see the three bandits he’d disarmed, a baffled expression on their faces at how smoothly and fluidly he had done so.

“What...what the hell just happened?” San gaped, watching as the man picked up his belongings, tossing his coat over his shoulder. 

“I don’t know, but it was awesome!” Wooyoung cheered, practically bouncing beside the older pirates.

The brunette’s nose scrunched, joy shining on his face as he approached their group, walking past them without a care in the world as Seonghwa clearly reached for his falcata, steel eyes hard. The brunette didn’t stop his long strides until he stood in front of their captain, extending his hand.

“I don’t think I got to introduce myself last time. Apologies. My name is Jeong Yunho, and I want to be a member of your crew." 

The four pirates stared at him, jaws dropped before three of them turned to their captain. 

“You...you want to be a member of my crew? Um...why?” He inquired as he looked up at Yunho. 

“Do you remember a member of the crew that Captain Hyo saved? A Caribbean man about this tall named Lloyd?” He inquired, putting his hand up to his shoulder for size. Hongjoong’s face lit up as he looked curiously at him. 

“Lloyd?! Of course! Who...who are you, exactly? How do you know him?” 

“He’s one of my fathers.”

Hongjoong gasped in surprise, pointing at him. 

“Wait! The big puppy of a son he always talked about! That’s you!?”

“Ah, he talked about me? Yes!”

The two began chattering excitedly as the other three exchanged looks in confusion. 

“Did he say one of his fathers?” San whispered, leaning closer to Wooyoung and Seonghwa as the two tried to follow the excited chattering between the two brunettes. 

“At this point, I’m not even surprised. We can literally never go to a port town and not have something crazy happen to us. Last time, we picked up you two nuts, now this one. At this point, let’s just roll with it.” He shrugged.

“Hey! We’re right here!” Wooyoung complained, lightly swatting at Seonghwa’s shoulder. The ex prince gasped and covered his mouth in faux surprise. 

“Oh  _ pauvre chou _ , pardon. I must have been thinking out loud.”

“What did you just call me?” Wooyoung blinked in confusion, but Seonghwa only smirked behind his hand at how flustered and pouty the small man got. 

“So, is Lloyd nearby? I’d love to check in on him and meet his family he always talked so highly of.” Hongjoong’s voice caught their attention as they looked back, finding he had relaxed substantially around the tall brunette. Yunho’s nose scrunched once more as he nodded.

“I’ll take you, would you three like to come? There’s more than enough room for you all to come! It’s a ways away-to the other side of the island-but I promise it will be worth it!”

“I’m not too eager with the idea of leaving our captain alone with a stranger, so just lead the way.” Seonghwa hummed, sizing up the man. 

Looking at him, anyone with an untrained eye would assume he had no form of fighting experience. He was tall, definitely looked the type to zone out every now and again, and there was a very unsuspecting, gentle giant aura to him. 

But Seonghwa wasn’t untrained. He could see his toned biceps under his button up, the slight scrapes to his knuckles most likely from past scuffles or training, and the way his pants clung to his toned calves. 

He could tell he was a fighter, but he didn’t expect him to pull out...whatever that was with the thieves minutes ago. The man fascinated the ex prince, and he watched him closely as he lead the way to where his mule was, happily talking about his parents. 

What an interesting character.

-x-

“Be sure to eat up, gentlemen. I can always make more later.” Lloyd cheered, setting down a large roast at the center of their table. It was the centerpiece of the spread of food the healers had rushed to buy once Yunho popped up at their door with four curious pirates behind him and a wide smile on his face. 

“I’m so glad I get to meet the lad that helped save my husband! Here, drink till your heart’s content!” Valeria beamed, setting down a glass of wine in front of Hongjoong. The man rubbed the back of his neck, slightly taken aback by her eagerness. 

“I...I don’t drink alcohol...but thank you, Ma’am. And I can’t take full credit for that, my mother-the last captain-was the one who saved him…” He trailed off. Seonghwa gently switched their glasses, his glass frosting over once he took it, raising the cool wine to his lips without hesitation while Hongjoong happily sipped at the tea Mei had originally brewed for Seonghwa. 

“You still helped, lad. If I recall, you convinced Jihyo to pick me up from that driftwood in the first place. I would be a goner, had you not have noticed me out at sea.” Lloyd countered, going back into the kitchen to retrieve the smoked fish he had made to go with their meal. 

“It’s still fascinating to me that there really is magic beings out in the world.” Robin mused, watching Seonghwa’s glass like a child with wonder shining in his eyes. 

They talked more with each other over the dinner, with Hongjoong happily displaying his powers for the curious healers across the table from him. 

For the first time in a long time, the pirates got to enjoy a calm, relaxing day with no immediate threat of danger. 

-xXx-

Over their months at sea, Yunho learned a lot about Hongjoong and his crew. Every day that passed left the man satisfied that he decided to stick with the men. Even now, when he’s got his teeth clenched around a rag and Seonghwa’s cool hand on top of his head as he sewed his own wound closed. 

San had did a number on him. 

“I didn’t take you for the reckless type, doc.” Seonghwa mused, eyes trained on Yunho’s fingers as he steadily closed up the sutures. Yunho exhaled and sent him a tired smile. 

“Mere months ago, I walked up to a group of pirates and asked them to let me join them.”

Seonghwa hummed, grabbing the bottle of alcohol situated close to Atlas’ tank, putting some on a rag before he knelt down, dabbing it over the wound. 

“You should still be careful. You’re an important part of our crew, you big lug. There’s no need to put yourself in danger.” He scolded. Yunho tilted his head, sending him a look. 

“Because I’m your surgeon?”

“Because you’re you. A brash, reckless fool, but you, nonetheless.”

“Love you too, handsome.”

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but walked over to Yunho’s desk, looking at the different jars of salves. Yunho paused for a moment, realizing what he’d said. He cleared his throat and moved to get up, but his stomach protested the move. 

“Don’t you dare, Yunho. Just tell me which one it is.” Seonghwa hissed. Yunho puffed his cheeks out, but told him which one, anyway. 

“It’s the one with the basil smell to it. I can put it on-” Yunho reached for the little jar when Seonghwa returned, but he only slapped his hand away and leered at him. 

“Just let me help.” He insisted, taking some of the ointment between his fingers, rubbing it onto the area. Yunho’s abdomen flexed slightly at the cold feeling as Seonghwa coated the area with the salve. 

“Tell me...what is it like to transform? I’ve only bore witness to San and Wooyoung, and my father said only Jihyo was around for Hongjoong’s transformation.” Yunho inquired idly as the ex prince moved to grab some bandages. He unravelled them gently and hummed, looking for the right words to describe it. 

“One moment, I was looking at Hongjoong and telling him I couldn’t feel a change, the next, it felt like I was somewhere far, far away. I felt like my blood was running cold, and there were voices in my head, repeatedly bombarding me with all that I had been suffering from internally at the time.” The blonde admitted, making Yunho put one hand on the start of the bandages so he could start to wrap his torso, leaning close while he did it. 

Yunho looked up from his spot, his face incredibly close to Seonghwa’s as he spoke. 

“Voices?”

“Mhm. They were from my brother and mother, but also a voice I didn’t recognize. They all kept screaming at me, telling me I could have saved my mother, I could have prevented everything...it was overwhelming.” he paused, his eyes downcast as Yunho watched him. 

“I watched myself fighting Hongjoong, but it wasn’t myself. I had to fight harder in my head than ‘I’ was fighting outside. Hongjoong’s words broke through the other voices and I was able to take control afterwards.” He tucked one piece of the bandage over the other before gently patting the center of Yunho’s abdomen. 

“There. All set. Here, let me help you up.” Seonghwa tucked his arm under his and helped him move from the table to the bed at the end of the room. Yunho grunted, feeling a little dizzy from the blood loss and exhaustion as the older pirate helped him to the bed. 

“Thank you. Make sure you rest well.”

“I’m not going anywhere. Just get some rest. I’ll stay beside you tonight.”

Yunho turned, looking at the top of Seonghwa’s head as he settled on the floor. 

“Aren’t you hurt too? Don’t sleep on the floor.”

“I’ve already started healing. Plus there’s no way both of us can fit.”

Yunho rolled his eyes and pulled him up, smiling at the startled sound that left Seonghwa’s lips. He wrapped his arms around the ex prince’s waist and put his head over his. 

“Thank you for helping out. I’ll be sure to work harder-”

“Start now. Go to sleep.”

Yunho pouted, but smiled at the way Seonghwa gently put his hand over his, relaxing in his grip.

-Months Later-

“Yunhoooooo~ I’m bored! Yeosang won’t let me try the roast!” Wooyoung whined as Yunho emerged from his room. He blinked in surprise as Yeosang hurried past them, a pair of fox ears twitching high on his head. His tail bristled as he frowned. 

“It’s raw in the middle! Just wait!”

“You’re a kitsune! Fire is your forte, just hurry up!”

“It’s gonna burn!”

Yunho laughed, loud and merrily as he put a hand on Wooyoung’s shoulder. 

“Let’s let Yeosang cook. Come, you and San can continue your capoeira lessons with me. You wanna be able to do acrobatics too, right?” He inquired, smiling when Wooyoung’s eyes lit up. 

“Oh! Yes!” He practically vibrated with excitement as Yunho lead him to a corner of the deck where San and Hongjoong were already conversing, leaning against the taffrail as the wind gently swept their hair. 

“Sanie! Yunho is gonna teach us more while we wait for food!” Wooyoung beamed, bouncing excitedly. San turned, brows going up before he grinned, rolling his shoulder. 

“Bring it on, I’ve been practicing in our room, you know. I’m a lot more flexible than you think!” San teased, stepping closer to Yunho as the surgeon hummed, setting his jacket aside. 

The scene was familiar to the day they all first met him as he crouched his body, arms swaying gently in front of him as he shifted back and forth, the tempo already strumming in his head. 

“Don’t talk, show me.” 

Hongjoong watched them spar, impressed with how quickly the duo had gotten used to capoeira. Yunho and Seonghwa had taken to teaching the members of the crew more ways to fight so they had a diverse array of styles under their belt. 

Seonghwa taught them how to fight properly with swords, while Yunho took time to each whoever was curious enough how to do capoeira and hapkido. 

Hongjoong smiled slightly, watching as Wooyoung let out a small cry, eyes wide as he kicked himself off the ground, his whole body in the air as he kicked at Yunho. He stumbled coming down and Yunho reached for him, pulling him close to his chest before he could fall or roll his ankle. 

“You did it! Just be careful landing, alright? You have to readjust your weight instantly. Consider the motion you’re in, too.” He gently let him go, pushing him towards San before he backed up, showing the men what he meant. 

He swayed, left to right before swinging his right foot high, his upper body going lower. His hands reached out, palms flat on the deck as he used the momentum from his first kick to push his second foot up, swinging his legs in a near hypnotizing spinning top motion before he arched his back, one foot touching back to the deck before he righted himself, smiling as he went back to his steps. 

“Show off.” Wooyoung pouted. San laughed and moved to try his luck next. 

Seonghwa approached the small captain off to the side, his hand on his hip as they watched Yunho and WooSan spar. 

“Joong. He’s become a staple part of this crew.” Seonghwa started, watching as Yunho stood, helping show Wooyoung once more how he should twist his body for his kicks. Hongjoong nodded, smiling as San managed to land a kick to the back of Yunho’s thigh. 

“I know. I was thinking about it, too.” Hongjoong muttered, looking down at his wrist at his compass. 

Four points left. The North, the Southwest, the Southeast, and the Northeast. 

Hongjoong looked back at Yunho as he spoke to the younger pirates, instructing them while also cracking jokes and keeping them in high spirits.

He didn’t always have to wait until someone was in danger to make a pact with them, he just hoped Yunho would be alright with doing so. 

-xXx-

“Where’s Yunho? I haven’t seen him since we got to port.” Yeosang inquired, frowning as he looked around for the gentle giant. His arm was full of fruits and vegetables for the next dinner, but there were some in the batch he wasn’t sure of their origin and he always asked Yunho to help when it came to second opinions on plants and the like. 

“He said something about finding an artist, but I don’t know what he’s looking for.” San responded, gently taking some of the veggies, tucking them into a basket he had bought a few shops away. Yeosang smiled gratefully at him before they made their way back towards the ship. 

Whenever Yeosang made big meals, even in port, they all ate together on the ship.

“I just...hope he gets back before dinner. I don’t want his food getting cold.” he muttered.

“Yeosang...I don’t know how to tell you this...but you literally are the one that can warm it back up for him.”

“It’s better fresh!” He huffed, cheeks out as he swatted at San. San laughed and dragged him along. 

“I’m sure he’ll be home soon.”

-x-

Well, this was unexpected. 

When Yunho finally arrived, he was shirtless, and he let out a sharp hiss when Wooyoung hugged him, catching his arms before he could toss them around his neck. Wooyoung frowned, looking hurt as he stepped back from the surgeon. 

“Yunho? What’s wrong?” He shuffled and Yunho waved his hands disarmingly. 

“No, no, nothing’s wrong. I’m just a bit sore, I got tattooed today.”

“You what?” 

Immediately, Wooyoung grabbed his arms, spinning him hard to see what he meant. Yunho yelped, blushing when he heard the chorus of gasps. 

“Yunho...it’s so beautiful…” Yeosang was the first to speak as they admired the lines. 

Across the shoulders. 

A garden painted on his skin, imprinted deep. 

“I was getting homesick so I got something on myself to remind me of home. Over here, this little bird is called a robin. That’s my one of father’s names, Yeo, I know you haven’t met my parents yet.” Yunho reached over his chest to point to the left side. 

There was a beautifully shaded small bird perched on a branch, it’s face looking upwards. It had the quality of a painting, right down to the shine in its eyes. 

“Next to it is a some cerasee and the fruit that grows on it. We grew them all the time back at home for our medicine, so that one represents my other father, Lloyd. He was part of the crew before I joined and had he not have been saved by Captain Jihyo and Hongjoong, I wouldn’t have been here with you all today.” He looked over his shoulder at the small captain in question, sending him a fond smile. Hongjoong blushed and bit the inside of his cheek while Seonghwa smiled knowingly from beside him. 

He pointed to the rod in the center of Yunho’s back, situated just below his spine. 

“I recognize that symbol. It’s the rod of Asclepius, no?”

Yunho smiled and nodded. 

“I read a book as a kid about Greek Gods and Demi-Gods and it always stuck with me. He’s the son of Apollo and the demigod of healing, so he was always important to me growing up in my kind of household, you know?” He inquired before moving to point to the flower tattoo on the other side of the rod. 

“This flower is my mother Valeria’s favorite. It’s called an Amaryllis. We always had a lot of colors with these, but her favorite was the striped one, which is a salmon color with white stripes on the inside.” finally, he motioned to the beautiful decorative teacup at his right shoulder. Inside was a small flower, and it had a trail of steam drifting up from it.

“The last tattoo is for my mother, Mei. She taught me how to brew teas, both medicinal and otherwise. The flower inside is a hibiscus. That was her favorite.” He finished and rolled his shoulders, turning to smile down at them. 

“Sorry for being late. We should eat, yes?” He proposed, lightly ruffling Yeosang’s hair as he walked past him. The men watched him go before they all exchanged a fond look with one another. 

It didn’t have to be said, but they were all grateful for the cheery man’s presence every day.

-x-

“Thanks again for helping me put this ointment on. I would hate for this to get infected after all of that.” Yunho mused as Hongjoong took the topical mixture he had whipped up to assist with his healing. 

“No worries...it really is such a beautiful tattoo, Ho.” The small captain muttered, starting with Yunho’s left side. The taller man shivered from the cool feel of the ground up herbs, but recovered quickly.

“Ah, you think? I’m glad. It took some convincing to get the artist to do so many at once. They said something about liking my moxie though, so they went along with it. I’m glad. I hope I can show my parents before I get old and wrinkly, y’know?” He laughed. 

Hongjoong paused behind him, jaw ticking before he continued, spreading the salve across the tattoos. 

“I’m glad you joined us, Yunho. Really...Being there for Wooyoung, San, even Yeosang during their transformations...always helping out around here and keeping everyone safe and healthy...we owe you a lot.” His voice was low as he ran his hands over Yunho’s shoulders, making sure the salve touched every part of his tattoos. 

Yunho blinked, heat rising to his cheeks as he turned in his bed, smiling up at Hongjoong, who was kneeling behind him. 

“Don’t thank me. I’m just doing what I love, helping the people I loved. I’d do it all again.” he told him proudly, tilting his chin up. Hongjoong’s eyes drifted down, landing on the scar stretching from Yunho’s navel to his hip, a remnant of WooSan’s transformation and his participation. Hongjoong looked back up, meeting Yunho’s half lidded eyes. 

“Of course you would. I want to show you how much I appreciate you always being here for us, Yunho.” He lifted his hands, letting water gently wash between his fingers, taking the salve off of his fingers before he carelessly dropped the bubble off to the side, leaning close to Yunho’s face. 

“I really do want you to be here for us, always.”

Yunho felt his chest tightened as he looked up at Hongjoong, arching a brow. 

“Captain, are you proposing we have sex?”

Hongjoong’s eyes grew as he shot back, lips floundering as his arms flailed. 

“W-wait, n-no that’s not what I meant-”

Yunho laughed and bit down on his own lip until it bled, reaching up to cup the back of Hongjoong’s head. 

“Relax, Cap’n. I know what you meant. And I’ve been waiting for you to ask me. Of course I’ll be here. All of you.” His voice dipped deeper as he pulled Hongjoong forward, kissing him with enough force to stun the flustered Captain. 

Hongjoong recovered, sighing against his lips as he settled himself in his lap, gently holding onto Yunho’s shoulders, careful not to touch his tattoos. The surgeon’s lips melded against his for what felt like hours until he bit down hard, drawing a whimper from Hongjoong. 

Yunho didn’t let up until he drew blood, pressing his lips more firmly to Hongjoongs as the older pirate pulled his hair, grinding his hips down. That drew a startled moan from the surgeon as he pulled back, feeling an intense power course through his veins. He gasped, body tensing before the feeling was gone. He blinked a few times before looking down at himself, looking for the compass tattoo. 

Hongjoong caught his breath, noticing the small mark peeking out from dip in Yunho’s hips near the waistband of the brunette’s trousers. He slid back on his thighs, pulling at the waistband to find the mark situated by Yunho’s unscarred hip. The compass point with the colored arrow was northeast. 

There was a chuckle above him. 

“If you wanted my trousers off, you didn’t have to be so timid about it, Joongie.” Yunho purred, leaning in to kiss him again once the captain’s attention snapped back to him. Hongjoong pouted against his lips, but yelped when Yunho shifted their weight, all but tossing him below him as he methodically crawled up his body. 

“W-wait, your shoulders-”

“If I keep your hands pinned, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Yunho inquired, tilting his head as Hongjoong’s face went cherry red. 

“I s-suppose not.”

“Captain, trust me, I know exactly what to do to thank you for the gift you’ve given me. Now you sit back and relax~ The doctor will see you now~”

-The Night of the Full Moon-

Yunho reviewed all he had learned from the other demons over the past month in preparation for his transformation. 

Voices in your head, huh?

All of them, except Hongjoong, told him similar stories. They would be overwhelmed by the voices of their demonic selves in their head, along with anyone else directly involved with their insecurities. 

Seonghwa heard his demon self, his mother, and his brother.

Wooyoung heard himself, the captain of the ship, San, and his parents. 

San heard only Wooyoung and his demonic self, urging him to hurt anyone that wasn’t Woo.

Yeosang heard his kitsune self, wicked and cold, screaming at him along with members of his family. 

Hongjoong...had no recollection of what he went through the night he gained his powers. 

“Okay, it’s almost midnight. The moon will be highest then. Are you ready?” Yeosang inquired, looking at his watch. Yunho nodded, moving to the center of the deck. He pursed his lips and looked towards the sky.

“Fine, then. I hope you’ve got something good for me, because I won’t give you what you want.” He challenged.

That’s when a pressure washed over him, and he felt like he had been knocked off of his feet. 

Yunho groaned, sitting up sharply as he looked up, eyes wide when he saw himself in front of him, standing rigid as his eyes began to glow green. He could see Hongjoong say something to him, clearly startled, but his ‘body’ didn’t move.

That’s when he heard it. The voices. 

But it was strange. They weren’t speaking in a language he could understand, the sound drifting from left to right in his eardrums as he rolled to his feet, looking around him. 

He looked like he was somewhere underground, the smell of earth strong in his nostrils. Yunho pursed his lips and turned his back on his ‘body’ walking deeper into the underground cave. 

The whispers continued drifting past him as he did, still speaking in languages he didn’t understand. 

This was different. This hadn’t happened with the others. 

He finally reached the end of the cave, finding a tall blonde standing with his back towards him, a hand on his hip as he sung gently. Yunho stopped a few feet away from him, his hands at his sides. 

“Excuse me?”

“Ah, yes. You’re excused.” 

The blonde turned and Yunho blinked in surprise, finding it was the spitting image of himself. Well, almost.

His eyes were icy blue, a triangle situated over his eye as he tilted his head the opposite direction Yunho tilted his, a smile stretching across his lips. 

His lips, the ones with the elongated smile, blackened veins stretching above and below them. 

“So we meet. A pleasure, really.” The ‘demon’ side bowed, looking up when Yunho didn’t seem to know how to respond. The doctor caught on, bowing as well. 

“Aren’t you evil? Shouldn’t you be...making me fight them?” Yunho hesitantly inquired. Demon Yunho hummed, tapping his chin as he paced, circling around him. 

“I should, shouldn’t I? But you’re an interesting one. The volatile nature of a divine or demonic power is a lot for a human to take, but you, you seem to be well attuned to my expertise anyway. I have no reason for the mind games. You are completely at peace with your life, regardless. I couldn’t take over you if I wanted to.” Demon Yunho sounded impressed as he stopped in front of his other self, sending him a crooked smirk. 

“Divine power? I thought all of Hongjoong’s powers were demonic?” Yunho pressed. The blonde whistled, laughing lightly. 

“Ah, she nabs our powers and then gives you the cheap version of what they all are, hm? Probably off to fill her box once more. Nevermind that for now, you’ll find out in due time. Or not, who knows?” He shrugged before he put his hand on Yunho’s chest. 

“She? Hyuna? What does that mean?”

“No more questions. Go, before I end up suffocating you by accident. We olden gods tend to not know our own strength. You can’t die, but man is getting oxygen back into dead lungs a pain in the ass” he pulled his hand back and slammed it hard against Yunho’s chest, smiling as the man flew back, not stopping until he was completely out of the cave, his spiritual body colliding with his actual one. 

-x-

The moment Yunho’s eyes began to glow, things got..weird. 

All five of the pirates were on their guard in an instant, but strangely enough, Yunho didn’t move. His body remained rigid as vines began to grow around his feet. 

Seonghwa frowned, standing up straighter when he noticed how unresponsive Yunho was, his lips open as he whispered rapidly, speaking in a language neither of the Mediterranian ex princes knew. His hair turned blonde, the roots retaining their chocolate color as a triangle formed over his right eye. 

“Yunho? Yunho, talk to us…” Hongjoong cautioned, slowly making his way closer. 

Yunho’s whispering got quicker, his breaths labored as the vines tightened around his body, rapidly encasing him. 

“Is it trying to hurt him like mine?” Yeosang cursed, rushing past them with his palms on fire. He reached for the vines, pulling and snatching at them as they formed to get Yunho out. The others got the hint and began tugging and pulling at the vines. 

“Every time we rip them off, thicker ones form!” San hissed, cursing when he noticed the vines started to writhe beneath their hands. 

“C’mon Yunho! Fight it!” Seonghwa cursed, freezing the front part of the vines before smashing the hilt of his falcata against the frozen plants to break them. As soon as he did, more sprung up, close to being as thick as a small tree trunk. 

“Yunho! Hey! Get out of there, dammit!” Wooyoung barked, blades of metal slicing at the vines over and over. 

“Come on...come on….” Hongjoong whispered, drawing all of the moisture out of the vines so they were easier to dispose of. 

They went like this for what felt like an eternity before there was a sudden sound close to a startled yell from inside the vines. They all moved away as the vines all but exploded away from Yunho, revealing the out of breath surgeon as he collapsed, gripping his chest tight. 

“Yunho!”

He was eclipsed by five warm pairs of arms around his winded body as he huffed, trying to fill his lungs with air desperately. 

“L-Lads, I love all of this affection, but please let me breathe…” Yunho wheezed, smiling gratefully at them as they moved out of his space, letting him take those deep breaths. 

Once he did, he ran a hand through his blonde locks, brows furrowed. 

“God, are all mythical creatures cryptic?”

“That’s what I said!” Hongjoong huffed as Seonghwa checked over the tired demon. 

“How do you feel?” He inquired. Yunho sent them a small smile. 

“Like I could go for a snack. Or three.”

-x-

“I think it’s cute you got the plant powers. It suits you.” San mused as he peeked his head into Yunho’s room, finding it had become more like a small forest, with herbal plants growing all around the room. Yunho looked up from the pot he was holding, smiling as he waved his hand over it.

In an instant, fresh cilantro grew before San’s eyes. Yunho passed it to him and shrugged. 

“It certainly has its uses. Yeosang seems happy with all the extra fresh veggies I can grow here aboard.”

“Aye. The crew are big fans of you and Seonghwa’s iced tea too. Really, who’s doing it like us?” The small man grinned. Yunho scratched behind his neck at the praise and moved to follow him out of the room. 

Getting used to his powers had come like second nature to him. The other demons all praised him on his mastery and control in such a small span of time. 

Though...thinking back on what Demon Yunho said to him, he couldn’t help but feel there was something bigger he was missing. 

“Hey! Yunho, no spacing out! Today we’re supposed to do more capoeira, with powers!” Wooyoung scolded, practically vibrating with excitement as San broke off from him to deliver the cilantro to the galley. Yunho smiled lightly and nodded, stretching his arms above his head as his locks bled into their blonde color, the triangle appearing over his eye as his lips stretched into a smile. 

“Let’s dance, then.” 


	6. Sixth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mingi Centric Origin Chapter:  
Content TWs for:  
Graphic violence and blood  
Domestic Verbal Abuse  
Panic/Anxiety Attacks  
Character Death  
Please take care reading, everytiny. And remember, no matter your faults, the people you love should never treat you the way things are depicted in this work. Know your worth, everytiny. You are a beautiful soul.   
Regardless, enjoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk why 3am is the sweetspot for me updating these but thank you everyone for your paitience. I know it's been a while (a month) since Yunho's chapter, so I hope the 16k can make up for the wait!  
Feel free to follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com), if you'd like and please review, it means the moon and the stars to me~

She looked down at her hands, clutching the sobbing child close to her chest before she looked past the boy, frowning as she gazed upon the beautiful woman who birthed him, still and cold. Her husband clutched her cold hand, tears rolling down his face as he shook. 

The midwife backed away slowly, feeling anxious at the way the child’s father hadn’t spared him a glance. 

“Sir-”

“Get out. Take that murderous leech, and get OUT!” His voice was booming, and the child startled in her arms, his lip wobbling before he broke down crying. She quickly covered his head in the blanket, rushing away as his father turned bloodshot, angry eyes upon both of them. 

She fled, her sandaled feet splashing against the cobblestone of the town as the rain fell around them, the humid August air making the child even more upset. 

She ran until she stopped at an inn, slipping in through the back as she made her way through the halls, gently shushed the child as she tapped her knuckles at a particularly worn door. There was a shuffle in a curse before a disgruntled man answered, peering at her through his one usable eye. 

“Ah, Loralei, what brings you-”

“Edward, we need refuge.”

“... _ We _ ?”

Loralei pulled her lip between her teeth and held the bundle out, revealing the small child. He looked up with small, curious eyes at Edward before sending him a wide smile. 

Immediately, Loralei was turned around as Edward tried to push her back out into the hall. The woman planted her feet down, refusing to move as she pivoted and fixed Edward with a hard stare. 

“Now, you know better than that, Eddie!”

“No, no. Absolutely  _ not _ , the caravan can't support another damn mouth to feed, you know this!. Why did you come back with the bastard, anyway? You were only supposed to help her bear him! Take him back to his parents!”

“He’s not a bastard...they were married. And his mom passed in labor. I fear if I left him behind, he’d be dead by morning with the look in his father’s eyes.” she looked down at the child and looked back up at Edward. 

“The poor thing...it's not his fault. We have a mother in our party anyway, no? I can ask Rae if she wouldn’t mind feeding the poor boy until he’s old enough to eat other food. Just.. _ please _ , Eddie. He has no one else in the world.” Loralei looked close to begging and Edward sighed, stepping aside for her to enter his room. 

“You know Rae won’t say no. She lost her own not too long ago, she’ll raise him like he’s hers, anyway. Does the lad at least have a name?” He inquired, peering down at the curious way the child looked around, babbling slightly. 

“No...I’m sure we’ll come up with something later. For now, shall we sleep? I am...exhausted.” 

Edward hummed and motioned to his bed. 

“Sleep, then. I have to tell the others.”

** _-Age 7-_ **

The sound of an old, out of tune shanty filled his ears as he made his way through the port, eyes darting left and right. Everyone was much bigger than him, and he felt his heart leap in his throat as he wove in and out of the crowd, his satchel tight against his side. 

A bump here, a brush there.

A hasty apology, a ducked head.

When he slipped out of the docks, he disappeared into the crowd, making his way just to the outskirts of town before he stopped, whistling a small tune. 

He waited until he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, smiling up as a middle aged man neared him, an eyepatch over his left eye. 

“Show me what you got, child.” He waved a hand and the boy looked left and right before grabbing the man’s hand and pulling him a bit into the thicket so they wouldn’t be seen. 

“Good, you took note of your past mistake. Remember to never go through your spoils out in the open. Never know who could be watching. So-” the boy opened his satchel, dumping everything he had pickpocketed onto the forest floor. 

Together, he and the man sifted through the stolen goods. From gold coins, to fancy engraved hand mirrors, to bracelets and watches. With every documented piece of loot, the child bounced eagerly. Once the man put down the last watch, he chuckled, ruffling the child’s hair. 

“Good job, Mingi.”

Mingi smiled wide, his eyes turning into crescents as the man began to tuck the objects back into the satchel just as quickly as he had taken them out. 

"Thank you, Eddie! Do you think Ma will be happy if I give her the blue bracelet?" He inquired as Eddie led him out of the thicket and into town from a different entrance, one near the inn their caravan had set up for the evening. 

"Rae? She'll probably have my ass again for sending you by yourself, but that's how you learn. You've learned how to steal rather fast for someone so young." He praised. 

Mingi beamed, practically skipping behind him as they made their way to the rooms they were staying in.

This was his whole world. Traveling with his family, stealing to get by while the adults either did the same or did odd jobs here and there for money. Was it honorable? Probably not, but honor wasn't something that concerned him. What mattered was his family.

Lorelai taught him how to craft, teaching him to make clothes from whatever cloth scraps he could manage to get his hands on. Hell, even his trusty satchel he used to keep his treasure in from snatches was something he and her made together over the course of a month. 

His fingers were covered in little punctures from the needle afterwards, but the strong sense of pride and happiness he felt when he held it, something he made all on his own, made it worthwhile.

Edward taught him to steal. To make a simple brush look like an accident, when really he had stolen from some unsuspecting sap. "The rich look down on us, spit in our direction. Why shouldn't we relieve them of some of their worldly possessions?" The old man had told him roughly one day. It was dangerous work, and was the reason he lost an eye all those years ago, long before Mingi was born, but the child would be lying if he said he didn't see the foul mouthed and rugged man as a role model. 

Rae taught him to have a tender heart and live life like it was precious. She was the closest to a mother he would ever know, and she regarded him as such, often scolding him for getting in scuffles during failed picks and cautioning him to not let his stealing cost him his life. 

He was young, but Mingi lived every day surrounded by those who loved him. Every day was a new adventure and he woke up every morning just happy to be alive. 

Until years later, when he met  ** _her_ ** .

Bella Rose.

That's when the childlike wonder and joy in his life fell apart at the seams.

** _-Age 13-_ **

"Did you get lost again?"

Mingi looked down as the small girl across from him crossed her arms. She puffed her cheeks out, stomping her foot as he shuffled, ashamed.

"I told you to meet me at the bakery with some money before noon so I could have some of their tarts fresh! What time is it?" For someone a year younger than him, the tone she always took with him left him cowering slightly. He checked the (stolen) watch on his wrist and sighed lightly. 

"It's almost 2…"

"Exactly! All the desserts are gone!" She huffed, stomping into his space. Mingi sighed and shuffled uncomfortably. 

"I...I got lost...I'm sorry, Bella."

Her eyes narrowed at him before she sat back, crossing her arms as she tilted her head, a smile pulling at her lips. Mingi's heart sank. 

"I guess I should've taken the money first, then. After all, you got lost because you can't read, right? You're a big kid but you're so stupid you can't even read signs!" She teased him before she held her hand out. 

Mingi bit the inside of his cheek, feeling the insult rattle around his head before he startled when she snapped her fingers. 

"Well? Why are you zoning out? Give me the money! I'm going to the candy store instead!" She bossed. Mingi pursed his lips. 

"Why? I got this money from working. Eddie told me not to give it away easily." He shook his head and Bella arched a brow.

"Because you're my boyfriend. You already made me wait forever and miss my treats. So hand it over!" She waved her hand impatiently and Mingi sighed, pulling out his wallet.

Satisfied, Bella took the coins and turned on her heel, bouncing away with Mingi dejectedly following.

Bella Rossellini, or Bella Rose, was a new edition to their caravan's band of thieves. Her mother had charmed one of the men in their party and after many nights arguing with Edward, the two of them had been allowed to join. 

Bella and her mother Vivian were the only ones who knew how to read and write, something Bella's mother used to her advantage when it came to them coming to larger towns, such as this one. 

It, however, meant the caravan had to rely on the two, which left Bella and her mother with a firm superiority complex that cast a shadow over their once warm and welcome group.

Bella had latched onto Mingi the moment she arrived, deeming him suitable as a plaything for her amusement while her mother worked, especially since he was the only one in her age range and none of the adults would stand for her bratty nature. Honestly, it was no wonder where she got her nature from, with all the snide comments Vivian would send the other members of the group. It didn't take long for Bella to copycat, tearing him down with words and making him feel insecurities he didn't even know he had before.

_ "Hey Mingi, read this for me? Oh wait, you can't~" _

_ "Mingi, you have to be nice to me, you're ugly and the only person that will like you is me, anyway!" _

_ "You like me, right? Then give me that bracelet!" _

Mingi wasn't even sure if he did "like" Bella as a friend, let alone a girlfriend, but she was adamant in dictating his feelings for him-something he noticed she also learned from her mother.

He watched her rush forward into the candy shop, looking up at the looming building with shaking hands before he swallowed thickly and stepped inside, sticking close to her. 

There were...signs, everywhere. He couldn't recognize any of the candies, so he stayed close to Bella, holding the back of her dress with a shaking hand. She turned to him before swatting his hand away. 

"You're gonna wrinkle my dress!" She scolded before she grabbed a bag, scooping some soft-looking candy into it. Mingi looked at them before looking at her bag.

"What are those? Can I try?" He tentatively asked. She snorted.

"Read the sign, Mingi. If you can read any of them, I'll buy you whatever you want."

Mingi deflated, looking at the sign. 

None of it made sense. 

Sighing, Mingi lowered his gaze, deciding to quietly follow behind Bella as she proudly added more candy to her bag. He didn't even have to ask to know she wouldn't be sharing with him, even if it was his own money that bought it. 

He secretly missed the days before Vivian and Bella Rose joined them. 

The days when reading wasn't everything and no one cared if you knew what a stupid sign said or not. 

The days when Rae would pet the top of his head and call him handsome and his heart would swell in his chest, instead of smiling weakly, feeling like she was only saying it because he was like a son to her and what good mother  _ wouldn't _ call her child beautiful or handsome? 

When Eddie would go out and help him pick their targets and take time to praise him instead of constantly arguing with Vivian and the not-so-subtle way she tried to take control of the group's every move.

Instead, the two brought a stormcloud with them that defiantly clung to the family, following their every move. 

** _-Age 18-_ **

Mingi was many things. 

Funny-with the way he could effortlessly bring up the energy levels in a room, breaking the tension that loomed over their caravan as Vivian continued her power struggle with an old, yet still defiant Eddie.

Fast-as he had become their best pickpocket, able to steal from even their most skilled members (for practice, of course), his tall statue and swift hands being the reason they were able to sleep comfortably most nights, in finer inns with better clothes on their backs.

Caring-never too engrossed in his stealing that he didn't take time to help the older members of their caravan with their errands and odd jobs between picks.

Unfortunately, Mingi was also easily manipulated. Not by just anyone, but by the one who had spent years conditioning him into believing he would never amount to anything.

Not without her.

So when Mingi walked in one evening, finding Bella in the arms of another man, and declared right there (after a rather...violent exchange of words and fists) that he was done with her for good, the other members of his family only sighed and shook their heads as they saw her latched onto his side days later. 

This was her routine. She had become a master at it. 

Break him down to his very core, leave him a raw and broken mess, and then pull him in with honey sweet words laced with poison, infecting him, killing him slowly. She'd convinced him she was the only one who had the antidote. 

_ "Oh, c'mon Mingi. It's not like you're satisfying me. I'm a woman with needs. Calm down. It was just a quick romp and nothing more. You know I love you." _

Poison. Then honey, but it's always so bitter. Honestly, he wondered if it was honey at all, or rather, molasses laced with cyanide.

_ "Mingi~ You're not mad at me still, are you? C'mon, I said I was sorry. Get over yourself." _

Venomous words to rile him up, make him angry, make him realize he should leave, he didn't have to take this! Followed immediately by-

_ "What? You gonna leave me? What will you do? Not like you'll amount to anything without me. Illiterate and ugly, only I would put up with you." _

Every day he drowns. Poison making his chest tighten, his breath shorten. It stings, it burns, his eyes, his nose, his mouth. 

And then he's on the floor, coughing and wheezing, gasping for breath as his heart pounds rapidly in his ears. Bella sees him like this, when the kiss and caress of anxiety and panic overwhelm him. When he reaches out to her, voice raspy as he asks her to do  _ something _ , help him, hold him, she rolls her eyes.

_ "Are you seriously crying? You are a man, aren't you? Pathetic. Absolutely pathetic." _

Mingi sinks like a stone time and time again, rising and falling before he pulls himself back up, dusts himself off, and rearranges his emotional mask. 

He lost himself a long time ago.

- ** _Age 19-_ **

"This is gonna be the best heist ever~!"

"Woman, are you  ** _mad_ ** _ ? _ Firstly, we're doing just fine without any of this heist business. Secondly, that's a goddamn  _ pirate ship _ ." 

Bella ignored Eddie as she wrapped her arms around Mingi's shoulders. The man sighed, shaking his head as he held his little sister.

Over the past year, Rea had miraculously managed to have another infant, a beautiful wide eyed girl named Gracie. 

Gracie gave him some form of solace from Bella's bullshit, and playing with the innocent child had often been an escape for him when things had gotten rough with Bella. 

Hell, he hadn't even had any form of attack in a long time because of her little smile.

He passed Gracie over to Rea and turned to Bella, eyes narrowed. 

"I'm not sneaking onto a fucking pirate ship. We can make do with what we've been doing."

Bella's eyes narrowed. 

"The famous  _ Utopia _ crew is in the port and this is a once in a lifetime chance. Who knows what they have on there!"

"Guns. And knives. And swords. And if the rumors are true, demons! My baby isn't going anywhere near that damn ship!" Rea barked, rocking Gracie. Bella sent her a venomous smile before musing under her breath. 

"Hm. Maybe they've got some real men aboard." 

It was a casual jab, but it made Mingi's shoulders slump, all the same. 

Satisfied, she ran her hand over his head and whispered into his ear. 

"Meet me on the docks at 10."

Mingi kissed Gracie on the forehead extra tenderly before he left that night. Something told him Bella was finally gonna be the end of him with this one.

** _-xXx-_ **

He knew this was a bad idea. Especially when she sent him an expectant look as they both stood a few boats away from the ship in question. It had beautiful engravings on the hull that Mingi could tell was expensive even in the poor light from the crescent moon. 

“Well? Go out there! I’ll keep watch!” She whispered. He sent her a look. 

“Are you mad? You want me to go in there by myself?!”

She shushed him, sending him a disapproving look at the way he snapped at her. 

“Yes! Are you not the man? The thief? Pull your balls out of your purse and go in there!” She spat. Mingi opened his mouth to protest before she narrowed her eyes at him. He sighed in defeat and looked back towards the boat. 

“Are they at least...gone…?”

“Of course they are. This is a port town, they’re probably off to get drunk and fuck women or something. Now go, go!” She pushed him forward, ignoring the way he stumbled. Mingi swallowed thickly, looking up at the boat before clenching his fists. 

God, this was so stupid.

Mingi bit his lip and hustled up the small wooden plank bridge that connected the docked ship to the port. He looked around, careful to listen for any footsteps or voices. 

When he noticed there were none, he continued deeper, biting his lip as he slipped below the deck, moving quickly. 

He had never been on a ship before, but even he felt this was more than a little unorthodox. One of the rooms looked like it was taken right out of the garden of Eden, with plants decorating nearly every expanse of it. 

What caught his attention was the aroma, a soft and sweet scent that filled his nose and made him feel oddly...at ease. 

He shook his head, realizing he was wasting time. He closed the door to the plant-filled room, making his way down a bit deeper. He passed the kitchen along the way, deciding to take a few shining pots and knives. The craftsmanship on the kitchen knives was unlike anything he had ever seen, and he was sure he could find a few chefs that would pay top dollar for them. 

Mingi wrapped them up in some cloth and tucked them away in his satchel, quickly working his way through the ship. 

He gained more confidence, realizing Bella had at least scouted the ship correctly. He tucked everything from daggers, to gems, to food he figured the others back at the inn would enjoy into his bag until it was full. The chocolate-haired man patted the leather bag lightly before he looked around again, moving to head back above the deck so he could sneak out. 

The tall man stopped when he heard the wood creak above him. He froze, eyes wide as he swallowed down the panic bubbling in his chest. He counted the footsteps.

Sounds like two people.

They were talking above him, and he adjusted the strap to his satchel, tucking it under his long coat as he waited, counting their footsteps and trying to figure out what direction they were going in. 

There was conversation and Mingi pressed himself into the shadows as the steps headed towards the stairs separating the upper and lower deck. 

He held his breath as a man came into view.

He was blonde, his posture perfect as he walked by, somehow missing Mingi's form crouched in the shadows. There was no sign of the person he was talking to, but Mingi wasn't one to wait around to see where they went. 

When he was sure the man was down the hall a good distance away, he snuck out of his hiding spot, his heart in his lungs as he tiptoed away. 

_ C r e a k… _

His eyes widened and he heard the footsteps behind him stop abruptly. 

"I knew it."

Mingi didn't even wait, breaking into a full sprint as he rushed up the stairs, the footsteps closing in on him at an almost... _ inhuman _ speed. 

He all but threw himself out into the humid night air, fully prepared to jump into the bay to escape.

Before he had time to entertain that thought, he stepped on a patch of ice, slipping almost instantly before crashing to the deck.

He groaned in pain, and in seconds, the tip of two blades were at either side of his neck like a pair of scissors, one step away from making his head roll. The blonde had a foot on his chest, his lip curled as he leered down at him. 

The intensity in his eyes kept Mingi from focusing too much on the fact that one of the blades was made out of what looked to be...ice??

"P-please, don't kill me, I didn't even want to  _ be _ here."

"And yet, here you are. Aboard our ship, looting around like you belong here." His eyes narrowed, his grip on the hilt of both weapons firm. 

"I should kill you before he comes. He always manages to find a way to pick up strays when we're in port, but I doubt you'll be any use, you thieving rat."

Mingi's brows pinched up.

Ah...though he  _ hypothetically _ deserved it for being aboard their ship and stealing, he had to admit, that comment probably hurt more than the blade against his throat. 

"P-please...I'll give everything back, I didn't want to be here, she made me. I just...I just wanna feed my family, please let me go. I just wanna go home and be with my infant sister." He pleaded, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed anxiously. 

The blonde's steel eyes lightened for the briefest moments, before the look was masked as he cursed in another language Mingi couldn't identify.

"Hwa, let him up."

The blonde sighed as the sound of another voice and footsteps approached. He sent Mingi a 'be still' look before taking his foot off of his chest, holding up the crystalline ice sword.

Before the thief's very eyes, it disappeared in a swirl of gentle snow as he put the other sword in the hilt. 

The brunette felt his lips part in surprise. Holy shit, the rumors were true? They really were demons...

He didn't have enough time to ask any questions before a small brunette man knelt down in his space, yanking his hair back as he looked at him in interest. 

"What are you doing aboard my ship?"

Mingi felt his heart stutter. The man was smaller than him, with delicate features to his face and a voice a vastly different pitch from Mingi's own, but there was an underlying look in his eye, strength in his grip that kept him from trying his luck. 

"I-I was forced to...my girlfriend t-told me to steal from you while you were away. Please...please, I never steal from ships, I swear I'll never touch this port again, just-"

"I get it."

Mingi snapped his lips shut as the man reviewed him. His eyes drifted down to Mingi's satchel, tilting his head. 

"Open it. Show me what you stole."

Flushed from fear and embarrassment, Mingi scrambled to dump all of the items onto the deck, his hands shaking. The man kept a firm grip in his hair and the blonde hadn't moved from his spot, gripping the hilt to his sword should Mingi make any sudden movements. 

"Knives, food, even some coins from the crew's quarters, hm? You must be fast, we were only away for half an hour. Wooyoung wouldn't have appreciated the knives he made Yeosang being stolen, though. I'd hate to see him upset when he worked so hard to make them." The small brunette hummed, picking up a knife and holding it under Mingi's chin, tilting his head up as the tip of the blade kissed the underside of his jaw. 

"I like to think I'm a fair captain, a reasonable person, so I'll let you go without slitting your throat for sneaking aboard my ship and stealing from my crew. But, if I see you anywhere  _ near _ my boat again, you'll wish the only thing I did was slit your throat. I don't take kindly to people messing with my family, my crew, understand, thief?" He warned him. 

Mingi would have nodded, had he not have had a kitchen knife pressed against his throat, so instead he made a small, trembling sound of confirmation that he understood. 

The captain nodded, satisfied before he let Mingi's hair go and lowered the knife. 

"Glad we could come to an agreement. Now, get the hell off of my ship." 

Mingi stood and nearly tripped over himself as he rushed off of the boat, gripping the strap to his satchel so tight his knuckles were nearly white. 

He stormed past Bella, who was conversing with a port hand, clearly flirting. She noticed his form and looked towards the  _ Utopia, _ eyes wide when she saw the blonde and brunette watching Mingi's every move. She bolted after the tall thief, not wanting to be left alone on the docks with the two pirates now back aboard their ship. 

-x-

"That was out of character for you, mon putois. Even I was taken by surprise."

"I don't appreciate people stealing from my family, Hwa. Now let's take this stuff back and put it where it belongs."

Seonghwa watched Hongjoong walk away and hummed slightly. 

It seemed even now after all their time together, his captain had more sides to show him. 

The blonde sent one last look over at the fleeing thief and what he imagined was the previously mentioned "girlfriend" before he turned and followed Hongjoong.

-x-

"So you failed?"

"Bella, get away from me."

Bella blinked in surprise at Mingi's harsh tone, watching as he snatched his belongings up from their shared room in the inn. 

"Hey, watch your tone. It's not  _ my _ fault you got caught."

The man's brow twitched as he spun on his heel, fixing her with a hard stare. 

"It's not? I could've fucking  _ died _ , Bella Rose. But you're not worried about that, are you? You're worried about sleeping with someone else,  _ again _ .  _ After  _ you sent me on a suicide mission on a fucking pirate ship. You were supposed to be keeping watch for me so I would know if they were back, maybe even distract them, but instead you're batting your lashes at other men and it nearly got me  _ killed _ !" He barked. She flinched at his tone before she narrowed her eyes. Mingi noticed and scoffed. 

"What? Gonna call me useless? Ugly? Unwanted? Stupid? Fine, I may be all of those things, but I'd rather be them than fucking  _ dead _ . My life has been nothing but a downward spiral since I met you as a child and it’s finally got me at the end of my rope. I'm done. Don't even try to sweet talk me back. I've had enough. I'm fed up with you and all of this bullshit. With a girlfriend like you, I'd rather date the enemy. We're done. I'm done." He pulled his knapsack over his shoulders and sent her a leer before he stormed out. 

He'd be sleeping in Rea's room tonight, holding Gracie close to his chest. 

-x-

Mingi was a man of his word. 

He didn't look in the direction of the docks, in fact, he made sure to stress to the other members of his caravan that they should leave the port as soon as possible. He also ignored every attempt at a conversation Bella Rose attempted to make with him. 

He was more than a foot taller than her, so he simply kept his head up as she tried to shadow him, switching from trying to sweet talk him back, to throwing around passive aggressive jabs here and there. 

It...hurt, but Mingi stuck to his word and said nothing to her. They would be leaving the port in a day or so once preparations were done and finally- _ finally _ \- they all agreed to leave Vivian and Bella behind. 

The caravan was a family, and you don’t put family in life threatening danger. Ever. 

“What are you gonna do? Leave us here?!” Vivian barked. Eddie let out a puff of a laugh before shaking his finger at her. 

“Find someone else to leech off of, woman. You and the demon you call a daughter. You have shown time and time again that neither of you care for anyone but yourselves, and we’ve had it. We almost lost one of our own because of you. No more. Leave.”

Mingi ignored the scowl that Bella sent him, instead opting to rock Gracie in his arms and turn his back on her. 

For the first time in half a decade, he felt free again. 

-x-

“Mother, I don’t want to do this…”

“Shut up, Bella. Your games are the reason we no longer have our meal tickets. So go up there and grab something useful! Here,” Vivian pushed the familiar form of Mingi’s coat into Bella’s hands before pointing to the port. 

“Go out there, steal something useful, and I might consider forgiving your stupidity, child.” She spat, shooing Bella along. 

The girl frowned before she pursed her lips, looking up at a ship much smaller than the  _ Utopia _ . She clenched her fists, squaring her shoulders. 

“If he can do it, I can too.” She huffed, storming up to the docks. 

-x-

When Vivian heard the sound of footsteps speeding towards her, she looked up, eyes wide as she watched Bella rush past her, fruit and meat falling out of her arms as she was chased by angered pirates. 

The woman jolted and looked around before she grabbed a barrel, shoving it over at the pursuing men. They barked out curses as the women ran, with some firing wildly in their direction. 

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” Vivian screamed, darting to the left as a bullet whizzed past her head, just barely missing hitting her daughter in the side. The bullet went through Mingi’s coat, leaving a bullet hole that was soon accompanied by a matching one in the sleeve and near her leg. 

The two disappeared into the crowd, with Bella clutching her bleeding arm as Vivian pulled her along. 

“All you got were fruits? All that for some fruits?!” Vivian hissed as she pushed her teenage daughter into a dark alley so they could both catch their breath. Bella sent her a sharp look, watching as her blood soaked into some of Mingi’s brown coat. 

“That’s all they had that I could get my hands on before they caught me! I’m bleeding, can we focus on that?!” She spat. Her mother narrowed her eyes at her before she ripped the bottom end of her dress, tying it tight around her daughter’s arm to slow the bleeding. 

“It’s a graze, calm down. Give the boy back that damn coat, though. It’ll be too obvious if you go walking around with bullet holes and blood stains. If they’re still looking for the culprit, let’s hope they fix on him, not us. Now move, we can’t stay here.” she made Bella take the jacket of, tucking it under her arm before hurrying her along. 

-x-

Mingi’s brow twitched in annoyance as he looked down at his jacket. Bella had knocked on the door to Rea’s room at some wee hour of the morning, looking more than a little frazzled as she all but shoved the jacket into his arms before rushing away. 

So here he was the next morning, annoyance settled in his brow as he walked with it tossed over his shoulder, looking for places in the market that sold leather patches. He couldn’t do much for the stains, but he could at least sew the areas closed. 

Part of him wanted to find her and ask her what the fuck she had gotten into that lead to her getting shot at, but he caught himself. 

It was none of his concern. He’d buy the leather patches and fix his jacket and move on. Whatever she did in this town had nothing to do with him anymore. 

Mingi thanked the leatherworker in the market and turned to leave, humming a tune in his head, oblivious to the group of men a few stations down, pointing in his direction, eyeing the telltale bullet holes in the jacket tossed over his shoulder.

“Looks like we have our thief, boys.” 

-x-

Seonghwa smiled as Wooyoung pressed his cheek against his, hugging the back of the ex prince’s neck tight as he piggybacked him through the market. 

“We should get something yummy. Yeosangie won’t know.” He beamed, swinging his feet. Seonghwa leaned back and kissed the tip of his nose lightly. 

“You know he would. Yeosang has a dog like nose, he’ll smell the sugar on your lips before you can even think of hiding it, Woo.” 

Wooyoung pouted and pressed a small kiss to Seonghwa’s lips before he put his chin on his shoulder. 

“Do you have to be right about everything?”

“Preferably, yes.” 

Before the small man could say anything, there was a commotion a few feet from them, with the thief from a few days ago in hysterics, blood all over his face as some pirates dragged his bound form through the market. 

“Let me go! No! You can’t l-leave her like that. Gracie!” He screamed, crying out when one of them elbowed him sharply in the face, splitting his lip. He continued flailing regardless, looking up as they hauled him past Seonghwa and Wooyoung. 

“You...you said you would let me go...why..? Why did you kill them…? WHY DIDN’T YOU JUST KILL ME WHY WOULD YOU TAKE THEM?!” He barked before he was pistol whipped by one of the men restaining him before they shoved their way past the two. Seonghwa’s lips parted in surprise before he looked at where they came from, noticing the familiar form of the girl from the docks, not so subtly watching the scene unfold as she stood beside another woman. 

“Hwa? What’s wrong? Do you know him?” Wooyoung’s voice caught his attention and Seonghwa turned his gaze to him before his grey eyes flickered back to the tall thief’s form. 

_ ‘Don’t intervene. Don’t intervene, Seonghwa. Don’t-’ _

“Woo, get down. We need to go to Hongjoong, now.”

** _-x-_ **

Mingi shook as blood ran down his face, confusion shining in his eyes as he looked up at the captain aboard the ship. 

He was not the same as the man before. Hell, this wasn’t the same ship, either. 

His heart pounded in his throat as the burly man tilted his head, lifting his head with the tip of his blunderbuss pistol. 

“Well, well. Look what we found. Thought you could steal from us, huh?” he growled. Mingi swallowed thickly. 

“I...I didn’t. I stole from the  _ Utopia. _ ”

The men around him laughed loudly as the captain knelt down into his face, his lip curling up. 

“Oh? So those bullet holes in your jacket are from someone else?”

Mingi’s eyes dropped. It all made sense now, her strange behaviour, the frantic way she pushed his jacket into his hands.

Bella Rose.

Mingi shook his head, his bangs falling into his eyes as the weight of it hit him. 

Images of Rea’s still form holding a crying and defenseless Gracie. Eddie slumped over a poker table. Loralei’s head tilted back, still in the rocking chair as the knitting needles she used to make Gracie’s clothes lay dropped on the floor, soaked with blood. 

There was...so much blood.

“Just...please don’t kill my sister. She’s just a baby.” He whispered as he watched the pirates around him prepare some heavy ropes. He was going to die tonight, that was without question, but he could still use his last breaths to try and save Gracie. 

“Aye, lad, what are we, monsters?” The captain chuckled loudly. 

“She’ll be left right there. I’m sure someone will come along and help her, yes?” 

Mingi’s head snapped up, rage flooding into his feline eyes. 

“Don’t! She’s just a baby, please! Take her somewhere safe!” 

He hardly cried out as the captain slammed his foot down on his thigh, biting back the sound in lieu of staring defiantly up at his soon to be murderer. 

“I owe ya nothing, rat. I’d be more concerned with yourself than the baby. Now, get em ready, we’re gonna keelhaul ya!” 

Mingi closed his eyes as a black bag was roughly put over his head. His arms were grabbed roughly, and he put up no resistance as they tied his wrists and ankles together in a thick rope. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he whispered to whatever deity that would listen to please save Gracie. If anything, just  _ please _ save the child. 

Someone, some divine power out there had to hear him. 

“Good evening, lads.”

The hands binding his hands and feet together paused and there was a commotion he couldn’t see behind the darkness of the bag. 

“An’ who the hell are you?”

“Captain Kim Hongjoong of the  _ Utopia _ . You are the captain, I presume?” 

There was a sound of a scoff before the click of a gun’s safety. 

“Aye. And I don’t like how you and your crew just strolled onto my ship. Are ya asking for a death wish? Because I’ll be more than happy to oblige after I deal with this thief.” 

“Actually, no. I was here with a business proposition. I want to buy him from you.” 

Mingi blinked. Buy? 

“I’m sorry?” The other captain seemed just as confused by Hongjoong, but the small captain only approached them, keeping a friendly smile and his hands up so the other pirates didn’t perceive him as a threat. 

Seonghwa and the other demons stayed behind while Hongjoong spoke, keeping their stances lax as they watched on, ready to step in if they needed to. 

“He stole from my ship as well. So hear me out, you let me take em off your hands, I give you some gold, we both win. What do you say?” Hongjoong inquired. The other captain narrowed his eyes at him until Hongjoong tossed him over a bag containing several dozen gold and silver pieces. The captain looked them over, taking a few and biting them for authenticity before he perked. 

“Well, it seems you’re serious. If that’s the case, you can have em. We’ve already seemed to break his spirit by killing the lad’s family. Good luck getting him to shut up before ya kill em.” He laughed loudly, motioning for his men to untie Mingi. 

Hongjoong’s jaw clenched, though he kept his disarming smile in place. 

He looked down at Mingi’s bloodied face and knelt down to his eye level, ignoring the way Mingi flinched. 

“Keep your voice down. Just blink once for no, twice for yes. Did you steal from this ship?”

A blink. 

“Your family...did they steal from this ship?”

Another. 

“Are they...did they kill them?”

One blink, followed by a tear, and another. 

Hongjoong inhaled sharply and nodded, tapping his shoulder. 

“Get up. You’re coming with me.” He pulled Mingi up, nodding at Yunho and Seonghwa to take his arms. The two taller pirates hefted Mingi’s weakened body up before Hongjoong turned to follow, a shadow looming over his face as he didn’t spare the boat or it’s pirates a second glance. 

As he passed Wooyoung, Yeosang, and San, they noticed the dark shadow cast over his face from his bangs and the scales shimmering just under his collar as he clenched his teeth. The trio exchanged a look before following behind their captain. 

-x-

Mingi limped as he led the pirates back to the inn, ignoring the concerned looks he got from other people as he made a beeline to Rae’s room. 

Immediately, the smell of copper filled his nose. He nearly collapsed, noticing there was no sound in the room. Yunho stepped in after him, surveying the room before he noticed the small baby Mingi rushed to pick up, shaking as he gently wiped her cheeks. 

“Gracie….Gracie, please…”

Yunho carefully neared her and crouched down, sending Mingi a small understanding nod before he reached for her. 

“I’m a doctor. I’m going to help.” he promised. Mingi looked warily at him before he handed the child over. Yunho grabbed her small wrist, feeling for a pulse before he sighed in relief. 

“She’s alive.”

He held his hand out, a small flower appearing in his palm. He tilted it and Mingi watched a small droplet of nectar fall from the petals, landing on the child’s lips. 

A beat of silence passed before Gracie began crying, stirring as she kicked her feet uncomfortably. 

Mingi’s eyes grew as he grabbed his sister, hugging her close to his chest as he looked at the doctor, shaking. 

“What did you do?” 

Yunho wiggled a finger and stood. 

“Nevermind that. It’s a long story. Come, we should...we should go. There’s nothing else I can do here.” He muttered, reviewing the dead bodies in the room. Gracie was the sole survivor of the ordeal. 

Mingi stood and rocked his sister, looking back at Hongjoong as he stood in the doorway, an unreadable look in his eyes as he looked at Gracie’s crying form, protectively wrapped up in Mingi’s arms. 

“What...what are you going to do with me now?” Mingi inquired. Hongjoong looked back up at him before he shook his head. 

“I’m letting you go. Seonghwa called me because he saw you in the market and heard the commotion. I didn’t…’buy’ you to punish you for stealing from us. I keep my word, and I said I wouldn’t touch you. I have no intention of taking anything else from you.” Hongjoong nodded. Mingi’s eyes watered as he stared at the small man. 

“Why...why are you doing this? Why are you letting me go? You are a pirate, yes?” 

Hongjoong’s face soured before he turned away from Mingi. 

“Yes. But I’m not the same as them.” he gritted out. Mingi looked down at Gracie’s smiling face as she latched onto his finger, smiling weakly. 

“I...I can’t take care of her. I can’t provide a stable life for her…” He muttered, stopping Hongjoong in his tracks when he moved to leave. Seonghwa glanced between them before he hummed. 

“There is a church in town, mon ami. If you take her there, they will care for her.” He informed him, his tone surprisingly gentle. Mingi nodded, kissing the top of Gracie’s head. 

“After that...can you take me aboard your ship? I have...I have nothing left. My whole family...she’s all that’s left.” He whispered as he bundled her up. The men exchanged a look before they all turned to Hongjoong. He didn’t turn back around, but he stuck his hands in his pockets. 

“What about the woman that was on the docks with you that night you snuck aboard?”

Mingi’s eyes narrowed. 

“She snuck aboard the other ship. Stole from them in my clothes and didn’t do so much as warn me of what she did before she gave them back to me. Had...had I have known...I wouldn’t have taken my jacket out. They wouldn’t have known I had it, they...they wouldn’t have followed me here…”

“Yunho, help the lad and the lass clean up and then bring him to the ship. Seonghwa, when they get back, I want you to take everyone under the deck. That’s an order. I suggest you all stay put there until I get back.” 

Seonghwa frowned before he ran a hand though his blonde hair. 

“Understood, mon putois. Come, we have to go.” He ushered the other men away before sparring Hongjoong a passing glance. 

He’d seen that expression of pure rage on many people before, but usually never Hongjoong. 

There would be much more blood shed tonight. 

-x-

Yunho tended to Mingi’s wounds in his room, his normally cheery face pulled into a firm frown as he washed out the excess blood from Mingi’s hair before checking his scalp for gashes. 

“Are you sure you want to come along with us? Shouldn’t you stay with her?”

“I’m a petty thief alone in the world...I can’t raise a child on my own. She’ll only be unhappy if I care for her. I don’t need to be around to do any more damage to her life than I already have.” 

Yunho frowned before he waved his hand, making a large flower blossom from the table, the stem stretching upwards before it unfurled, each of its petals glowing a strong blue color. Yunho used the light to see better, humming lightly. 

“You don’t need stitches. That’s good. Just keep putting this ointment on it, and it won’t get infected.” He instructed, moving the illuminated bloom away from Mingi. The man followed the motion, pursing his lips in interest as he reached for the flower. 

Yunho watched him run his fingers over it, smiling softly at the way Mingi’s shoulders relaxed. 

“By the way, what is your name? We’ve been through a lot these past few hours, but I don’t think we’ve exchanged pleasantries. My name is Jeong Yunho.” He introduced quietly. Mingi looked back at him before he lowered his hand from the flower. 

“Mingi.”

“Just Mingi?”

“I don’t...I don’t have a last name.”

Yunho nodded and stood, putting a hand on Mingi’s shoulder. 

“No worries. C’mon, I’ll take you to the crew’s quarters. Yeosang will probably bring food down-”

The kind doctor stopped short as the sound of sudden, heavy rainfall came from outside. He blinked in surprise as the boat began to sway uneasily, his brows pinching up. Mingi frowned as well, looking at Yunho as he stood abruptly. 

“Captain, what the hell are you up to…”he mused before the side of the boat creaked once more, swaying in uneasy waters. Yunho ran over to the door, watching as Seonghwa rushed to the stairs to the deck. He cast Yunho a glance, worry etched on his face. 

“He told us to stay below deck but...I-”

“It’s okay, Hwa. Let’s go.” 

Seonghwa let out a small relieved sigh, nodding. 

“Thank you, mon chiot. Let’s go.” He paused when he looked at Mingi, just slightly behind Yunho. 

“I understand your curiosity, but you may want to stay.” he warned him. Mingi bit the inside of his lip slightly. 

“Can...I see, anyway?”

Seonghwa fixed him with a stare before he looked towards the stairs to the deck as the  _ Utopia _ creaked in protest. He nodded and rushed off to the deck with his partners, plus Mingi and a few members of the crew that were curious. 

As soon as they got to the deck, they noticed the heavy rainfall pouring down around them in sheets, almost to a painful degree. They looked towards the sky, noticing the lack of clouds. 

“S-Seonghwa, look.” Yeosang stammered, watching as a the form of a woman was chased through the port, nearly slipping from the heavy rain. Behind her, were shadow-like tendrils, slamming against the wood of the port, destroying more and more as they swung wildly. 

“J-Joong?” San uttered, noticing their captain stalking behind her. Mingi perked when he realized the fleeing woman was Bella Rose. She ran past several boats on the docks that swayed uneasily from the chaotic water and rain. Right as she rushed past the boat that belonged to the pirate crew that killed Mingi’s family and orphaned Gracie, Hongjoong threw his hand to the left, a gust of wind picking her up and dumping her unceremoniously onto the deck. 

The captain and crew shouted in confusion at the strange happenings while Hongjoong stopped his walking, standing before the ship. His own crew watched on in surprise as he lifted his head, beautiful shimmering scales covering half of his neck and face as he stared at the ship. 

One of his normally electric blue eyes was a jade green color as he watched the sailors rush about the boat in confusion, three tendrils of powerful energy swirling around his form like tentacles from an angered octopus. 

Water, darkness, wind. 

**‘They deserve it.’**

Hongjoong grit his teeth and raised his hand, the water around the ship growing more and more violent before it all but snatched the ship away from port. He lifted his hand, watching as the ship lifted higher and higher. Hongjoong let out a beastly sound, his hand trembling as the crew screamed. 

**‘A child is an orphan now because of them.’**

Hongjoong took his free hand, clamping it down over his raised ones, like the jaws of a fanged beast. 

A dragon emerged from the seawater, its body consisting entirely of the ocean it was risen from, with confused fish swimming about the murky water. The dragon tore through the middle of the boat, snapping watery jaws closed. 

The boat was instantly broken into two pieces before the pieces were tipped inward. They all watched as the sailors slipped into the center of the broken pieces before Hongjoong’s mix matched eyes narrowed. 

**'Do it.'**

The dragon snapped it’s jaws shut once more, swallowing Bella Rose and the sailors into its watery body before Hongjoong lowered his hands sharply, watching as the dragon took all of them underwater. 

He stayed on the dock, those three tendrils swirling around him as he watched bubbles surface in the water before everything went still. 

The rain stopped, the last bubble popped, and the only sound on the docks was the sound of boots against creaking wood as Hongjoong made his way back to the  _ Utopia _ . 

His scales disappeared and his eyes both returned to normal. 

"Mon putois…? Are you alright?" Seonghwa started, the hesitancy in his voice making the other crew members on the deck even more on edge. 

Seonghwa rarely hesitated. 

Hongjoong looked at him and the others as he boarded his ship before his eyes rolled back and he promptly passed out onto his own deck. 

"Putois!/Hongjoong!/Captain!"

Mingi stayed back as everyone made a dash to pick up the fallen captain.

  
  


-x-

Mingi didn’t see hind end or tail end of the Captain for days after the incident. Yunho tended to him every day, and Mingi found himself befriending the humble doctor rather easily. It actually surprised him how welcome the crew made him feel, despite the fact that he’d stolen from them before. 

“How is the captain?” 

After the third day of not hearing from Hongjoong, Mingi finally chanced the question with Yunho one morning after being checked up to see if he was healing nicely. The older brunette pursed his lips before he hummed. 

“Seonghwa says he’s been out cold since that night. I’ve never seen him like that. He’s been angry, but in our year of sailing together, I’ve never seen him so  _ enraged _ .” 

Mingi nodded slightly. 

Yunho had sat down and told him everything there was to know about their demonic powers, which was interesting, to say the least. Mingi was sure he didn’t fully understand what any of it meant, but he wasn’t too worried. 

As long as he could be useful to the men that saved his life and avenged his family, that was all that mattered now. 

Mingi looked over the bookshelf Yunho had in his room, gazing at the small plants that littered the wood of the shelves. 

“You’ve read all of these before?” He inquired, running his fingers over an orange one. Yunho perked, closing the top to one of his salves before he nodded, smiling. 

“I adore reading. Most of these books are medical, but I have some short story books and poetry books, if you’d like to read them sometime.” Yunho beamed. Mingi tensed.

“N...No, I think I’m alright.” He quickly shook his head and looked away. 

That’s right. None of them know he’s illiterate. 

Before Yunho could question his behavior, there was a frantic pounding on the door before Wooyoung burst in with San in tow, startling them. 

“He’s awake!” the youngest informed them. The four rushed up to the upper deck where Hongjoong was standing, looking tired despite the fact that he was out for a few days. 

“Joongie!” Hongjoong stumbled when Woo all but flung himself at him. The captain stumbled before smiling tiredly at Wooyoung, kissing him gently when the man broke into panicked chatter. 

Mingi stayed back, surveying him. 

His eyes were normal instead of the mix matched glowing blue and green. The scales that adorned his face and neck were long gone. Aside from the tired way his eyes stayed half lidded, he looked...normal, no sign of the beast they'd all laid eyes on the other night in the rain. 

Hongjoong turned to him when he noticed his gaze, scratching his head. 

"I...I don't remember what happened the other night when I split from you all. I should uh, work on my temper. Normally I have a pretty firm handle on myself." He ran a hand through his chestnut colored hair before he turned to Mingi. The younger man startled at the sudden attention on him and stood straighter when Hongjoong approached him.

"I seemed to have caused a lot of damage and I'm sorry for whatever it was you saw. I should formally introduce myself. I'm Captain Kim Hongjoong, and this is my ship, the  _ Utopia _ . Regardless of how you joined, from here on out, as a member of my crew, you're family." He held a hand out and Mingi blinked in surprise before he quickly shook his hand, surprised by the tender tone the captain took with him. 

"C'mon, I'll show you a bit of your duties now that you're in our crew." San caught his attention before motioning for him to follow. 

Mingi cast one last glance at his tired and disoriented captain before following San. 

-x-

"You don't remember anything?"

"N...no. I just recall being awash with anger and then everything was. Dark. And then I woke up in bed." 

Yunho pursed his lips, looking at his notes. Hongjoong still remained the outlier when it came to their transformations and behaviors. The doctor had yet to get to the bottom of it, but the way his "demonic" side talked to him still left him rather perplexed. 

In fact, he was the only one to his knowledge that could  _ still _ hear the voice of his demonic side occasionally, praising his flora and his medical work. 

Hongjoong took the doctor's silence as concern and rubbed the back of his head. 

"I'll work on my temper. I don't mean to concern you so much." He muttered, looking ashamed. Yunho waved his hands. 

"No, no! It's okay...I'm just trying to understand so I can help next time, y'know? Just in case you lose control." He told him honestly. He didn't want to bring up the voices yet, so he kept that detail to himself.

"Don't worry about it right now. Let's get you some food with Yeosang. You've been unconscious for a few days, you must be famished." He nudged his captain lightly, smiling at the way the small man flushed as his stomach growled at the prospect of food.

"Ah, you're right. Let's go." Hongjoong cheerfully lead the way as Yunho closed his notes, following close behind.

** _-2 Months Later-_ **

"Good job today, Mingi. Having you around is such a big help." 

Mingi flushed as he looked up at the boatswain, Sana as she approached him. He sent her a kind smile, moving to put his shirt back on out of respect. Sana laughed lightly and waved a hand at him.

“No need, lad. You ain’t got nothing I haven’t already seen before. I’ve been on this ship for years. No amount of nudity phases me anymore.” She reassured him before clapping him on the back when he stood to his full height. 

“I know it’s weird being surrounded by mostly women, but relax a bit. We’re not gonna bite ya, handsome.” She nudged him playfully and Mingi shifted, a small anxious feeling bubbling in his chest. 

There was the honey...so...where was the venom?

“Ah, right, since you’re such a big help, do you mind running me an errand before you get ready for dinner?” She inquired. He tilted his head and she passed him a piece of paper torn from a book she used to write down orders for the cargo. 

“Take this to Seonghwa or Hongjoong and see if they approve of these numbers. Ask them if they want me to add something for the next shipment when we get to port. Write down what they have to add for me, would ya?” She smiled and passed him a pen before waving.

"I gotta go check on some of the lads below the deck and the livestock in the hold." She left before he could stop her, panic settling in his chest. 

Write…?

The walk to the captain's quarters was a long one and Mingi was ready to bolt by time he stopped in front of the door. 

This...was a bad idea…

Mingi knocked lightly and waited, smiling and waving when Hongjoong greeted him. He waved back and beckoned him in.

Seonghwa was already inside, steel eyes scanning the papers in front of him. He had hardly spared either of them a glance when they entered, but he waved all the same. Hongjoong chuckled and moved to sit down beside him, motioning for Mingi to come closer to them.

"What brings you here, Mingi?"

"Sana asked me to give this to you. She wanted you to uh...write down what you'd like to add so I could take it back to her." He lied stiffly, hoping they didn't question it. Hongjoong hummed and nodded. 

"Ah, just read the list out, I can tell you the numbers from there."

Mingi tensed.

"Ah- it's better if you look it over, y-yes?" Mingi would be lying if he said his hands weren't shaking. His heart began to pound loudly in his ears as both Hongjoong and Seonghwa fixed him with curious looks. 

"Is...is there something wrong?" Hongjoong inquired, his head cocked to the left. Mingi bit his lip, eyes on the floor as he shifted from foot to foot. 

"I...can'treadit." He muttered quickly. Both pirates squinted and Mingi could swear his heart was gonna leap out of his chest as he closed his eyes, ashamed. 

"I...I can't read...or write. I'm illiterate." 

Admitting it aloud to two people he admired really hurt him a lot more than he expected it to. Seonghwa lowered his pen before he sent Hongjoong a glance. The captain didn’t miss a beat.

"That's okay." 

Mingi blinked in surprise and lifted his head. 

"I'm sorry?"

"It's alright. We wouldn't have put you in such an uncomfortable situation if we knew. Here, pass the list to me, Mingi." Hongjoong reached for the paper, his warm fingers gently brushing against Mingi's as he took the sheet, scanning it with his eyes. 

Mingi watched him, waited for a snide comment, something casually backhanded about his intelligence. In his mind, he could hear Bella laughing, a haunting sound.

_ 'You cant even finish a simple task like this? Fucking useless idiot.' _

"Here we go."

Mingi's head snapped up as Hongjoong passed the paper with the added changes back to him. He took it in a slightly shaking hand before Seonghwa's voice cut in. 

"If I may, mon ami, if you have any interest in learning how to read and write, we'd be more than happy to help." He offered. Mingi stared at him before he looked at Hongjoong, who looked just as ready to volunteer as his first mate. 

"But...you're all so busy, I couldn't…"

"It's just an option. None of us mind. We're not here to judge you or make fun of you. We support each other here. If you want to learn, we can teach you." 

Mingi stared at them for much longer than he intended to before he swallowed thickly and nodded. He turned on his heel quickly before bolting to the door. 

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind." He uttered quickly before closing it and pressing his back to the door. 

He couldn't calm his rapidly beating heart that night. 

** _-2 Days Later-_ **

Mingi was pleasantly surprised to find that no one had made fun of or even teased him for his illiteracy. Sana apologized for sending him to do something that made him uncomfortable, but he only ducked his head and waved it off. 

"You didn't know. It's really fine."

After that, it was the same as usual. Honey, sweet, sugary nectar. No sign of venom or poison. Nothing bitter.

They gave him a sense of comfort and ease he hadn't fully felt in a while.

Honestly, it terrified him. He wasn't used to letting his emotional guard down since Bella showed up. 

Tentatively, like a timid butterfly, he took whatever sweetness he gave them, stored it away just in case they suddenly changed their demeanor. Cherished their kind words, but a nihilistic side of him made him think. 

They say these nice things now. It’s only a matter of time until they turn on you like Bella did, right Mingi?

As he was lost in his thoughts, Yeosang walked past him, his sandy bangs bobbing in a manner that reminded him of floppy dog ears. Mingi noticed a book tucked under the boy's arm as he cheerfully darted by, humming about desserts. He stopped abruptly, eyes lighting up when he noticed the absentminded sailor staring off into space. He startled Mingi by popping into his personal space.

"Oh! Mingi! Come, come! I need your help" He grabbed Mingi's wrist and pulled him down into the galley, smiling wide. Mingi blinked in surprise. 

"Um...with what?"

"Yunho's birthday is next month and I wanna make him some desserts. Do you mind helping me?"he inquired. Mingi frowned slightly, looking at his book. 

"Um...I can't read anything, if that's what you mean…"

Yeosang blinked before he shook his head. 

"Oh, no no. It's alright! This is just for me to write new recipes down! I just need you to try what I make and let me know if you like it!" He beamed before showing Mingi the beautifully written words inside. 

He didn't understand a word of what was said, but he could tell excellent penmanship when he saw it. 

He expected nothing less of a prince.

"If...if that’s what you want and I can be helpful…" Mingi nodded and sat down, watching as Yeosang perked and eagerly started grabbing some items. 

As he began, he noticed the smaller man still talking. 

"This package is where I keep my sugar, Mingi. It's the one with the small painted cat. San got bored one day and I just refill this pack when we run low. The sugar will always be in there."

"This jar is vanilla extract. It's kinda expensive on its own but Yunho's been real helpful with growing whatever we need for food. Hongjoong helps with keeping things watered properly, too."

"Ah, this potted plant over here is my little orange tree, would you like some orange juice? I can ask Seonghwa to bring us some ice, it’s a little tart if you drink it as is-"

"Why are...why are you telling me these things? I can't read the recipes you have." Mingi's low tone caught Yeosang off guard. The ex prince paused before he looked towards his little tree. 

"....so? So what if you can't? A lot of these recipes, I learned by watching. Memorizing. I'm telling you what they look like and what is what because I hope you'll come to my galley sometimes and cook with me. It's nice to have extra hands besides my illusions. I promise, you're much better company, too. And I can teach you if you ever did want to learn. It's no problem at all, I used to help some of my caretakers back in the palace learn to read and write." Yeosang took a knife to some oranges, a fond look on his face. 

"Yeah but...those were children, right? It's embarrassing to be an adult and not know…" Mingi sighed, moving from his seat to help Yeosang. The older pirate hummed thoughtfully, grabbing a tall glass and squeezing one half of an orange into it. 

"Mmm. Not necessarily. The oldest person I helped teach to read was an older woman named Annabelle. She was in her forties. She ended up becoming a consultant. Anything is possible if you try, you know?" He nudged Mingi and sent him a warm smile. 

"It's okay to ask for help if you really want to. This is the best place to do it, to be honest. Sneaking aboard this ship was the best thing that happened to me since Shiber came into my life. I've never been so comfortable and free in my life. I'm sure you may feel the same soon enough once you fully settle in. Here," Yeosang passed the glass to him, grinning as Mingi took a sip without hesitation. 

His face lit up as he looked at the glass and Yeosang beamed proudly, turning back to his stove as Mingi made small sounds of happiness as he drank the juice. 

"Good, right? I'm proud of my little orange tree. I mostly grew it all by myself~ Now, sit down and gimme a sec, the first batch of mini pies are going to be ready soon!"

Mingi settled back in his chair, cradling the glass of orange juice as he watched Yeosang (and occasionally a doppelganger created from his powers) fly around the galley. 

He lifted the glass to his lips, a small smile on his face. 

Of course the cute cook gave him sweet nectar. He'd sip at it cautiously, timid butterfly wings opening with every lap of sugar.

-x-

"Okay, hit it Yeo."

"Got it, Captain."

No matter how many times Mingi saw it, it amazed him. 

Hongjoong's crew probably consisted of the cleanest people he'd ever met and the reason for them all being at the peak example of health was because of the captain's powers.

Or, rather, his shared powers. 

They had Woo raise walls in the hold to separate the crew from the cargo and livestock temporarily and Hongjoong would summon water to rain down on them, showering them in clean water warmed by the plumes of fire Yeosang kept floating above their heads.

They served their purpose, illuminating and warming them. 

From there, it was self explanatory. San always made sure to stock up on as many scented soaps Seonghwa would allow aboard ("I told you, lilac is an awful scent." "Okay, what about rose?" "...rose smells nice.") for them to share.

They all stayed clean and Hongjoong cheerfully informed him of that being a big factor in why their human crew members didn’t fall ill often, and none of them suffered from any of the usual sea illnesses that typically plagued sailors. 

In every sense of the word, they were thriving. 

Mingi thanked his hard working captain and cook for yet another warm shower and got to washing the dirt and grime of the day off of himself. 

It took him a while to get comfortable with washing in front of others, especially since the female pirates showered with him, but a few playful jabs here and there, and the small observation that no one really...cared about who had what where or how attractive the nude person next to them was. 

Really, it was just a matter of who got to share the vanilla scented soap before Wooyoung got his hands on it, and who would help wash someone’s back. 

Mingi noticed San sitting on one of the buckets in the corner of the room, washing his hair as he stared at himself in the mirror, perplexed. The taller man made his way over to him before he knelt down, gently touching San’s bare shoulder. The man startled before he tilted his head up to look at Mingi, immediately masking the look that was previously on his face. 

Mingi knew that motion well. 

“Is something wrong, San?”

San looked at the mirror out of the corner of his eye before he shook his head. 

“No.”

“San. You’re lying.” 

San pursed his lips before he ran a hand through his dark hair. 

“It’s...weird. I’ve always had these body image issues and sometimes when I think I’ve gotten over it, it comes back and I feel really...self conscious.” He hummed before he looked at his reflection. 

“I’m happy. Don’t get me wrong. But learning to love myself is something I’m still learning to do. I didn’t come from the best of places, certainly didn’t have the best of families, but I...I don’t want to let what I went through define me. It gets hard sometimes.” He exhaled and tilted his head back, humming as the gentle showering water ran down his face. 

Mingi didn’t take his eyes off of him. 

San was...breathtaking, to say the least. Mingi never would have thought someone like him would have similar thoughts about his own body. Granted, Mingi’s was a result of Bella’s constant torment, it was strange to see someone else struggling with the same insecurities. 

At least, one of them. 

“But, I have Wooyoung and the others to set me straight when I start getting in my own head.”

Mingi watched as San looked back at his reflection, his damp bangs clinging to his forehead as he stared himself in the eyes. 

“Unlearning something like that takes...a very long time. But I don’t think it’s impossible. I can be my own worst enemy when it comes to healing, especially when I get too pessimistic and think this will never change. Nowadays, Hongjoong or someone will give me a good scolding and knock some sense into me, so I think I’ll be fine in due time.” San sent him a smile before he perked. 

“Ah, you listened to me complain so come, let me wash your back, Mingi.” He waved Mingi over, changing the subject cheerfully as he did just that. 

Mingi closed his eyes as San began to chatter about something he and Wooyoung had discovered. His mind rolled around all that San had said to him before he opened his eyes, swallowing lightly. 

_ ‘I don’t want to let what I’ve been through define me.’ _

Neither did Mingi.

-x-

“Please teach me...how to read. And write.”

Yeosang nearly dropped the roast he was setting on the table in front of the higher ranking pirates as Mingi approached them. He bowed deep, his eyes to the floor and his hands planted on his thighs as he stared at the floor. 

“Please.” He repeated when the five of them didn’t respond immediately. 

Hongjoong smiled and reached over to lift Mingi’s head, sending him a look that made the tall man’s heart stutter. 

“We’d love to. You can start tomorrow, meet me in my quarters bright and early, Seonghwa and I will run you through the basics.” He promised before he let Mingi’s chin go. 

Mingi nodded and quickly retreated to his usual table, blushing as Sana ruffled his hair. 

“There ya go, lad. I’m proud of ya.” 

Mingi blushed beet red and dug into his food quietly, casting glances at the higher rank table every now and then. 

-x-

Over the course of the next month, the boys kept their word, pulling Mingi away from his duties as a sailor in order to teach him how to read and write. It...was frustrating for the young man, but he found himself unwinding and trusting the men more and more when he realized how many times they would reassure him whenever he made a mistake. 

Today, days before Yunho’s birthday, he was struggling once more, the pen in his hand shaking as he stared at the blank sheet of paper. 

He wanted to try and write the kind doctor a birthday note. Nothing too difficult, just a simple ‘Happy Birthday Yunho!’ to give to him after delivering Yeosang’s tiny mixed berry tart. Both men had settled on making Yunho a berry tart and making something called a baklava for Seonghwa a week or so later for  _ his  _ birthday. 

Mingi wasn’t quite sure what it was, but Yeosang looked ecstatic to make it for Seonghwa, so he would help when the time came. 

After the third failed attempt at writing the note, Mingi sighed and caught Seonghwa’s attention. The ex prince was sitting across from him, having picked up the tutoring duties for the day. 

“Mm? What’s wrong?”

"I don't think I remember how to do it like you said.I forgot how to write his name. I...I'm sorry, I'm wasting your time." He bit his lip so hard it hurt, the claws of anxiety dragging down his throat. 

He fucked up. He’s always fucking up, always always always-

Seonghwa set his pen down, fixing Mingi with a look, his lips pulled down. He reached over, ignoring the way Mingi flinched at first before he set his hand on the top of his head, ruffling his chocolate colored hair. 

"You're not wasting my time. I offered to help. Just like Yeosang and the others. So let me." He spoke gently, watching Mingi before he stood and closed the distance between the two, pulling the shaking man into a warm embrace. Mingi tensed at first and Seonghwa ran his hand over his head, rocking him slightly. 

“It’s alright if you need to redo it. Yunho won’t mind. You’re already doing so well, just go easy on yourself. It’s okay to fail from time to time. Take a moment and just breathe for me first. I’m here. I got you.” 

Mingi shook, the feeling of someone being there for him through the attack catching him off guard. He clutched Seonghwa’s clothes, all but crushing him against his chest, shaking and crying, muttering hasty apologies under his breath. Seonghwa only cooed, petting him.

“You’re alright. It’s alright.”

Mingi went through the motions, and thirty minutes later, he pulled away, blushing profusely at the undoubtedly raw look on his face. Seonghwa smiled in understanding and wiped his eyes and then nose with a handkerchief he had tucked away in his breast pocket. When Mingi sent him a curious look, he flushed slightly. 

“Old princely habits die hard.” He explained before ruffling Mingi’s soft hair. 

“Feel better? Want to try again?” He inquired. Mingi looked down at the paper before grabbing a fresh sheet of paper chewing on his lip as he picked his pen back up. 

Seonghwa smiled and took his hand off of his head, placing his elbow on the table as he stared at Mingi.

"Have faith in yourself. You're an incredibly fast learner. Probably much faster than myself, given the circumstances. Now, try again, and if you need me to help, I can. We have all evening until Yeosang finishes dinner, I've told San to take over my First Mate duties for today and Hongjoong will be checking up on us in a few hours."

Mingi's cheeks flushed for a moment before he nodded, focused on the page as he began to write, his hand trembling much less than before. 

**-x-**

“Happy Birthday!”

Yunho jolted as Wooyoung burst into his room, smiling wide as he and the other higher ranked pirates shuffled into his room. The smell of plants flooded into the hall as Yeosang held out the mixed berry tart, grinning wide. 

“Here, Mingi helped me perfect it. Happy birthday, puppy.” He cooed, standing on his tip toes to press a kiss to Yunho’s nose. Yunho beamed and looked past them to Mingi, who was timidly at the back, hands trembling as he held onto an envelope. Yunho set Yeosang’s tart on his table before making his way to Mingi, tilting his head. 

“Do you have something for me?” He inquired. Mingi looked up at the man, and initially his kneejerk reaction was to shake his head and say no. A warm hand from Hongjoong on the small of his back and a reassuring, calloused hand rubbing his shoulder from San made him stay firm.

“H-Happy birthday, Yunho.” He muttered, handing the envelope over. Yunho smiled and opened it, eyes scanning the paper.

_ ‘Happy Birthday,  _

_ Thank you for helping me out so much. Because of you and the others, I feel comfortable and safe and I have a chance to learn something that I never knew I could enjoy...so...happy birthday. I hope you enjoy the tart, Yeosang was happy to make it for you.  _

_ -Mingi’ _

Yunho looked up, brows raised in surprise. Wooyoung and Seonghwa peeked over his shoulder, proud smiles on their faces as their doctor looked at their newest member. 

“You wrote this for me?”

“It..took a few tries, but everyone helped me.” He muttered. His handwriting was atrocious, but San had checked it for him to make sure he didn’t misspell anything. Hongjoong and Seonghwa helped him with the words while Wooyoung and Yeosang assisted him with sounding the words out. 

Yunho engulfed him in a hug and Mingi nearly fell over from the force of it. 

“I love it. Thank you.” He beamed, sending Mingi a wide smile when he pulled away. Mingi flushed and nodded slightly, his heart hammering in his chest as the men dispersed to let Yunho eat his birthday tart in peace. 

-x-

“Sweet and sour, I had orange juice in the morning~”

Hongjoong paused as he walked through the ship, hearing a slightly out of tune melody coming from the boatswain’s room. He tilted his head, walking a bit closer. 

“I had a sweet and sour orange juice in the morning~”

He peeked his head in, smiling gently when he saw Mingi studying. Sana had offered to relieve him of his duties for a bit while he learned to read and write, but he was adamant on pulling his own weight as a sailor while also studying. If he was here, he must have finished his duties at lightning speed. 

Hongjoong was impressed. None of the members of his crew were lazy, but Mingi went above and beyond to be helpful, even surpassing the work ethnic of some of Hongjoong’s older crew members. 

“I had an orange juice on an empty stomach. It was cold, orange juice, I washed my face and had an orange juice~” Mingi hummed, squinting at the page before pausing, his lips pursed. 

“Ah...I don’t know this word…”

Hongjoong stepped in, smiling when Mingi startled before the taller man relaxed. The captain took a seat beside him and looked at the word, a small smile coming to his face. 

“It’s adoration. Y’know, when something makes you feel a deep sense of love or respect for it? You can also say you adore it. Like your orange juice.” He chuckled, laughing when Mingi’s face flushed. 

“You heard me-”

“It’s cute. Maybe your last name should be Song. Song Mingi.” Hongjoong joked. Mingi stared at him, biting the inside of his cheek as he watched Hongjoong look over the notes he was taking. Mingi had gotten good at reading in the past two months, surprisingly quickly for someone who didn’t know anything at all before coming aboard. 

The crew praised him for his work and helped him along the way in their own subtle ways. 

Yeosang asking him to read off a recipe, San showing him the maps he and Woo worked on, asking Mingi to name locations they had drew on the sepia colored paper, Wooyoung reading stories to him in the crew’s quarters on their off time, Seonghwa helping him with his penmanship, Yunho opening up his room to Mingi at any hour to study amongst the sweet aromatic plants to keep his anxieties down when he got frustrated, and Hongjoong coming to him with written inquires about the cargo that was usually reserved for the boatswain to answer. 

“You said you had an empty stomach, right? Hold tight, I’ll grab you a snack and some fresh orange juice.” Hongjoong set his paper down and stood to leave, sending Mingi a warm smile.

“Hey, I’m proud of you.” 

Mingi’s face ignited as Hongjoong left the room, the familiar sound of Mingi’s orange juice song leaving his lips as he went down the hall. Mingi put his hand over his heart and looked down at his paper at the word Hongjoong helped him define. 

_ Adoration. _

_ -x- _

“There must be some mistake.”

“Nope. None. Either yes, or no. It’s your choice.”

Mingi stared at Hongjoong as the man stood before him with Sana at his side. He looked between both of them, brows pinched up. 

“You...you want me to be the boatswain?”

Sana nodded, smiling as she handed the notebook she used to keep all of the cargo records in. Mingi took it with shaking hands before looking to Hongjoong. The small captain ran a hand through his sandy mullet and grinned at him. 

“You don’t have to take my offer, but if you do, just know we’ll be with you through it.”

“You’re promoting me to boatswain. And turning me into a demon?”

“Again, if you want.”

Mingi swallowed thickly, holding the cargo records close to his chest. 

“Can I...Can I think about it?” He inquired. Hongjoong nodded, patting his shoulder as he moved to walk around him. 

“Of course. Remember, there’s no pressure. Sana is giving you her position after talking with some of the other crew members and myself and we all agree you’re one of the most hard working people aboard this ship. They’d happily follow your orders, if you choose to take the position, and I’m offering you my powers for the same reason, honestly. You’ve fit right in with us here and I would love to have you around for a long time. With or without immortality. The choice is yours, Mingi.” Hongjoong reassured him before he turned to catch up with Seonghwa as he exited their shared quarters. The blonde looked over his shoulder and sent Mingi a kind smile before the two of them set off to do the day’s duties. 

“Aye, lad. Take the offer if you want. You look just as lovestruck with them as the captain usually looks when he ends up sharing his powers anyway.” Sana nudged him and he looked at her, stammering wildly. She sent him a small smile before she ran a hand through her chopped hair. 

“Never a dull moment, I’ll tell you that.” She laughed before leaving him to his own devices. 

Mingi pondered the offer for days. Sending anxious glances in their direction every now and then to see if they were looking at him any differently for not jumping on the chance. None of them were and it made his heart flutter how patient they were with him. 

From a butterfly, to a humming bird, erratically beating wings fluttering as he enjoyed his favorite nectar. 

Their smiles, their laughs, their voices. 

Warmth, sugary, welcoming. 

Sometimes Mingi would remember her in the midst of his healing, her venom trying to taint his newfound delight, but then they would snap him back into focus without even realizing what they do to him. 

He remembered that word Hongjoong taught him to write. Adoration. 

The love, the respect. Mingi felt all of it with his whole chest. Overflowing love. An abundance of respect. Balance. Euphoria. 

Freedom. 

Even now, he was slouched over in the boatswain’s room, drooling slightly over his notes as a warm hand ran through his hair. The smell of vanilla told him it was Yeosang, humming some kind of lullaby to him as he scratched his scalp. 

Mingi pressed closer to the feeling. For once, he could accept the love being put before him and not worry about if it would come back to hurt him. 

A week or so removed from the offer, Mingi stood before Hongjoong, the full moon high in the sky holding his hand out. 

“I’ll do it.” 

Hongjoong looked at him, glancing at the moon before looking at him.

“Really? Okay, just give me a minute to get the others. The moon is full and you’ll transform tonight. It can get hectic.” Hongjoong shuffled away, gathering the other demons on the deck before sending their human crew to safety. The small brunette exhaled, looking back at Mingi as he anxiously shifted from foot to foot.

Hongjoong held his hand out before pulling a beautifully engraved knife out, making a decent sized cut across his palm before he fixed his gaze on Mingi. 

“Are you sure? This is the last chance.”

“Just...promise me you won’t ditch me. It’ll be kind of...bad to be alone for eternity.” Mingi muttered, extending his hand farther. Hongjoong picked up on his tone and hummed, brushing his thumb over Mingi’s knuckles before turning his palm upwards. 

“I swear it. I would never leave my crew behind. Immortal or not. We’re in this together, for life. Or, rather, for eternity.” He gently cut Mingi’s palm, apologizing for the pain before he laced their fingers together, pressing their palms flat against one another. Mingi felt a pulse rush through him before the sound of the ocean filled his ears. 

Water swirled at his feet as he looked towards the moon, his breath coming in short bursts. Hongjoong watched him carefully. 

**‘We’re bound, Captain. I won’t settle for less.’**

In an instant, the water swirling around his feet changed to wind, and Mingi let out a pained sound as he heard whispers flooding his ears. 

Horrible, horrible things. Cries of terror from his family, Bella’s voice. Something akin to his own, taunting him, belittling him. 

The wind picked up around him, knocking Hongjoong back as Mingi held his head, tears streaming down his face as a horn sprouted from his head. On his right cheek was a mark resembling a cloud, swirled and beautiful as it shone brightly. The horn atop his head was layered, curving upwards. It twinkled like a crystal opal stone, the rainbow colors in it refracting in the light of the moon. 

Mingi swayed, clutching his head harder as he argued with the demonic voice in his head. 

“Stop, I don’t want to see them like that, it’s not my fault, its not my fault!”

Hongjoong cursed and moved to get near him once more, but the tall boatswain’s eyes snapped open, focusing on Hongjoong. He shook his head, stepping away as the wind whipped wildly around them, making the  _ Utopia _ creak in protest, spinning every which way as the sails flapped aggressively from the strain. 

Hongjoong pressed his fingers to the boat, using the darkness of everyone’s shadows to grab onto Mingi tight, gritting his teeth. 

“Mingi, don’t listen to it. It’s only trying to hurt you and take control. Fight it!”

“I killed them, it’s my fault. It’s all my fault. She was right.” Mingi laughed hysterically, thrashing in the shadows as blades of wind whipped past them, his cheek mark glowing the same brilliant opal color as his horn. 

One of the blades flew at Hongjoong as he tried to keep a hold on Mingi, and the captain’s eye’s grew. San grabbed him by the collar, all but snatching him out of his position and tossing him out of the way. 

“We need a plan, Joong.” He muttered, watching as Seoghwa and Yunho rushed Mingi to try and slow him. 

Mingi startled and spread his arms, snapping them back closed and slapping as he sent a small, concentrated blast at the two. 

“Don’t touch me!” 

Seonghwa’s ice falcata shattered as he was knocked back, and it was only because of Yeosang summoning two foxes to catch the men that they didn’t crash into the masts. Wooyoung rolled his shoulders, looking back at Hongjoong as he stood. 

“Think of something, Cap.” He told him firmly before he took a deep breath and screamed, sending blades of metal hurtling through the night air towards Mingi. The two went back and forth, with Seonghwa hanging back to analyze his movements as Yeosang, Wooyoung, Yunho, and even San tried to get through to the demon. 

Inside his head, Mingi screamed at himself to stop, unable to control his body as he was forced to watch on. The whispers floating past him tore at his body, and he fell to his knees, helpless as he watched on. 

Above him, the demon version of himself hummed, red hair standing out as he pulled Mingi’s head back, shaking his head. 

“I get stuck with the crybaby, hm? When I get my hands on that narcissist lizard, he’ll pay for forcing me to be stuck with the useless one. Now submit to me. It’s not like you’re good for much else, anyway. Give in.” 

Mingi let out a ghoulish scream, the wind rapid and vicious as the boat rocked uneasily, barrels and crates shifting around the deck, flying full force into the demons as they tried to calm Mingi. 

“Captain, the ship is going to capsize at this rate! We have to stop him, he can’t control himself!” Wooyoung cried, holding on to the main mast as the wood began to splinter. Yunho noticed and reluctantly pulled away from the fight, wrapping thick vines around it to keep it from snapping apart.  _ The Utopia _ creaked in protest, the wind whipping around wildly as Mingi stood in the center of the deck, his eyes glowing as the horn protruding from his head grew brighter.

So beautiful, so angry, so raw.

“I can down him in one shot. Give me the word. I won’t seriously injure him, but maybe if I can gash him somewhere, he’ll slow down” Seonghwa grunted, his falcata glinting in the light of the full moon. Mingi snarled, holding his head as the razor-sharp winds whipped past him, hurling San into Yeosang when he tried to get near him. The two crashed into a crate, stunned as Mingi neared them, his eyes a deep purple. Seonghwa grit his teeth and moved to pull his falcata free when Hongjoong shook his head, putting his hand on top of Seonghwa’s, pushing the curved sword away as he walked past him.

“Putois?”

“Get the others out of the way for the time being.” Hongjoong instructed before grabbing Mingi around the midsection, snatching him away from San and Yeosang’s prone forms before tossing him to the far end of the deck. Mingi flailed, landing on his feet when the shadows let him go before turning his head back to Hongjoong. 

“Mingi, focus on me. You can control it.” Hongjoong urged. Mingi shook his head, laughing as more tears spilled from his eyes. 

“You should have killed me, Hongjoong. You should have killed me for stealing. They died because of me. Gracie is an orphan because I fucked up. All I am, all I’ll ever be is a fuck up!” He barked, rushing towards Hongjoong, blades of wind cutting into the captain as Mingi closed the distance. Hongjoong closed his eyes, listening to the approaching footsteps on the dock.

He took a calming exhale before his eyes snapped open just as Mingi reached for his throat, electric blues staring down dark violets. 

“It’s not going down like this.” He grabbed Mingi’s wrist and snatched him to the left, tossing him over his head, slamming him none too gently onto the deck below. Mingi coughed, the breath knocked out of his lungs as Hongjoong stepped on his chest.

“This isn’t you. This isn’t the Mingi we know.”

Mingi grabbed his foot and snarled. 

“You don’t know a damn thing about me, Captain Kim Hongjoong.”

Hongjoong bounced back as a blade of wind sliced into his cheek before a gust pushed him farther away. Mingi rolled to his feet, huffing like a caged animal. 

“You don’t know anything! Nothing!”

Hongjoong wiped his cheek, smearing blood on his face as he stared Mingi down. Water and darkness swirling around his body.

“I know the Mingi that was eager to save his sister, even if it meant being keelhauled without a fight. The Mingi that joined my crew to make up for a mistake that wasn’t his own. The Mingi that brings energy and happiness to my crew, sings about orange juice, studies until the wee hours of morning. I know that Mingi. And you are  ** _not _ ** him.” 

With every word, the tendrils latched onto Mingi, restricting his arms, his legs, wrapping tight around his throat as Hongjoong approached him slowly. Mingi thrashed, clearly fighting off his newfound inner demon as the wind shakily fluctuated between small gusts to push Hongjoong away, and wild, unstable mini tornadoes to pin  _ Utopia _ in the ocean. 

Eventually, there was a small breakthrough, the tone in Mingi’s voice frightened. 

“I can be useful, I don’t want to be alone-”

“You’re not alone. I’m right here.”

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just...I…”

“I know, Mingi. I know, and we’re here, forever, right? Take my hand.”

The crew stayed as still as possible as their Captain approached the raging wind demon across from him. Mingi attempted to take a step back, defensive, but Hongjoong ignored him-and the blood from the gashes caused from the uncontrollable magic. Mingi stared at him, chest heaving as his eyes slowly stopped glowing. 

“I’m...I’m scared.”

“You don’t have to be anymore.”

Trembling, Mingi took his captain’s hand, and promptly collapsed.

The wind calmed, and Hongjoong lowered the water and shadows binding Mingi to catch him, his whole body slumped as he looked up tiredly at his quickly approaching boyfriends. 

“We did it.” He muttered tiredly before he slumped against Seonghwa, the strain taking its toll on him. The blonde huffed out a small laugh before he looked at both men, nodding. 

“Yes, you certainly did.” 

-x-

“You bought a book today?”

“Mhm.”

Mingi opened his knapsack, placing a book in the middle of Wooyoung and San’s table in their shared room in the inn. The two had invited the others into their room for some card games to celebrate another successful voyage and Mingi was eager to show them all the books he and Seonghwa had gotten him from the market. 

“Ah, this one’s about butterflies? Can I see?”

“Is this a journal? Are you going to write down more notes? You’re such a hard worker, Gi!”

Mingi smiled as Yeosang and Wooyoung looked over his books. They were simple, but it was something to read, and that was already more than enough for him. Hongjoong smiled and propped his cheek up in his hand, watching the boys chatter. 

“I’m glad you’re more comfortable, Mingi.” He mused. Mingi nodded and reached into the bottom of his bag, handing over a letter. Hongjoong blinked in surprise, as did the other men. 

“You wrote a letter? When did you do that? I don’t remember you asking for help.” Seonghwa muttered, lips parted. Mingi scratched the back of his head, looking away. 

“I wrote it on my own.” He admitted. 

Immediately, the five men huddled behind Hongjoong to read the messy letter in surprise. 

_ ‘To my crew, _

_ I know I say thank you every day, but again, thank you for everything you do for me. Your patience, your kindness, it all helped me grow past the broken man I was before.  _

_ I know..I still have my moments, and my days may not always be as bright as I want, but you all help me be the best version of myself, and that’s something I can never thank you enough for.  _

_ Thank you for teaching me to not let my trauma control my life. _

_ Thank you for helping me understand that what was done and said to me by Bella Rose was not what I deserved. _

_ Thank you for teaching me the meaning of ‘adoration’, because I’ve never felt it so strongly until I came here.  _

_ Thank you for helping me be the best version of myself again _

_ Love, Song Mingi.’ _


	7. Seventh Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jongho Centric Chapter:  
Content TWs for:  
Graphic Violence and Blood  
Character with PTSD  
Character Death  
Sexual Content  
Please take care reading, everytiny.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this A/n is important, everytiny.  
After several weeks of going back and forth and doing...copious amounts of research, I wanted to make a lot of things pertaining to Jongho's Maori culture as accurate as possible. So I'll be providing some translations in the ending notes.  
I also want to give a special thank you to Charlotte on tumblr for helping out with the Portugese!  
Please enjoy and uhhhhh review? :3  
Also follow my [Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com) if you'd like uwu

-Age 10-

“Ah, baby, how long will you sleep?” 

A small head peeked out from the quilted blanket, squinting at the light before lowering once more, groaning. 

“Five more minutes.”

“_ Jongho _.”

Jongho lifted his head once more, pouting as his mother stood in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest. He held her gaze for all of three seconds before he sighed and rolled out of bed, waddling over to her. She smiled and gently fixed his wayward hair, leaving him alone so he could wash up. 

When he was finished, he stepped out of his family’s hut, rubbing his eyes. 

“Oh, he’s still alive!” 

He perked as he looked up, finding his best friend Mateo waving at him from the hut beside his. The younger boy smiled, all but running over to Mateo. The fourteen year old smiled, leaning down to press their foreheads and noses together.

The two held each other’s forearms as they inhaled gently, small smiles on their faces before they pulled away from one another. 

“Morena, Mateo.”

“Morena, Jongho!”

Mateo tossed an arm over his shoulder and led him deeper into the village, waving goodbye to Jongho’s mother as she moved to sit down with some of the other women from their village.

Today she would be teaching some of the younger girls how to weave clothing. 

“Are we hunting today?” the younger boy asked. Mateo nodded, taking Jongho to the center of their village where a group of boys around their age were waiting, with some older adult warriors looking around. One of them noticed them and gently nudged the largest man in the group, the chief, Rawiri. 

Rawiri-Mateo’s father-stood before the group, a thick, carved bone necklace sitting around his neck as his stern gaze scanned over the group. He had an intricate tā moko, with several dark lines swirling along his jaw, cheek bones, all the way up to his brow and forehead.The lines were bold and showed the man’s high status as their leader, and all of the young men looked up to him in admiration. The kahu kurī covering his body did little to fully hide his massive form underneath.

When his eyes landed on the two boys, they looked away quickly as he shook his head. 

“Late again?” He inquired. The two young men looked away before he chuckled and moved to turn his attention back to the group as he began to speak, his taiaha held firmly in his hand as he did so, the feathers gently blowing in the breeze. 

“Now that we’ve all here, we’re going out to the beaches. Stay close, Ataahua and his men have been encroaching closer and closer on our lands. Be prepared for a fight.” Rawiri told them, gesturing towards the treeline with his taiaha, the feathers swaying as he pointed. 

“Ataahua’s men aren’t opposed to surprise attacks since the last spat we’ve had, so be vigilant. All of you.” He warned the young men before turning his attention to the woods the group of warriors stayed close to one another, following behind the bulky chief as the fur of his kahu kurī blew in the breeze. 

Jongho held his patu tight, his bare feet brushing against the flax flowers growing from the ground just outside their village. One of the older warriors took note of how starry eyed some of the younger boys were when it came to following their leader, and chuckled. 

“He māhiti ki runga, he paepaeroa ki raro!" He started, flashing a toothy smile at the way Rawriri looked over his shoulder, rolling his eyes. 

"Koia nei te kākahu o te rangatira~!"

Their party began chanting about Rawiri's attire cheerfully while Mateo stuck close to Jongho, walking at a much more relaxed stance than his younger companion. Jongho noticed and shot him a look. Mateo smiled. 

"Why are you so on edge? We've been to the sea time and time again, there’s no need to worry so much.” He hummed, holding his taiaha across his shoulders as he rolled his neck. Jongho puffed his cheeks out at him and Mateo looked towards the front at his father’s back. 

“Nothing ever happens when dad is here, you know.” He mused before looking towards the sky. 

“It’s midday, right? They usually don’t come around this time, either.”

“You should still be alert.” 

“Says the one who woke up late again.” 

Jongho avoided his coy gaze and tuned his attention back to the front, smiling as the sound of chirping drew his attention to the left. A small kiwi peeked its head out of a bush, chirping loudly in their direction before running away. 

In front, Rawiri came to a halt, pointing in the direction of a few deer, raising his chin to catch their attention. Immediately, the young boys were on high alert, watching as Rawiri removed his cloak, every muscle in his body coiled tight. 

“Remember what we taught you.” He reminded them, nodding towards the deer. Jongho bounced on the balls of his feet eagerly, smiling happily when Mateo sent him a nod. 

They had practiced this time and time again, using the thicket to their advantage, striking before their target had a chance to fully flee. 

Satisfied, Rawiri gave the signal.

Small, subtle, silent. 

The young warriors rushed into the trees in an instant, striking before the deer could fully react. The adults struck the buck of the group, taking it down with quick, immobilizing strikes while the younger members of their hunting party took the slower, weaker deer. 

They made quick work of the mammals, cheering happily to one another as they moved to bring them back to the village, pairing off into teams of two or larger, depending on the weight of the animal. 

“Not bad for someone who wasn’t being alert, huh?” Mateo teased, sticking his tongue out at Jongho when the child huffed at him. 

The journey back to the village was always a longer one, with shuffling feet and mild complaints from the younger men about the soreness, but the older members of their hunting party took the added time to tell stories of days past.

From the tales of the battles won against other rival tribes, to stories of atuas and how they blessed the lands around them, the older warriors spoke in a way that was larger than life. 

Jongho always listened with rapt attention. 

They reached the clearing between the village and the forest in what was honestly too short for the young child’s liking, if the pout that came to his face was anything to go by as the younger members of their party were instructed to drop the deer. 

“Go on, dinner will be ready in a few hours.” Rawhiri gave the young men his polite dismissal and they flocked back into the village. Jongho tugged excitedly on Mateo’s sleeve, pointing in the direction of his home. 

“Mama should be still teaching the girls with the others, but I think Papa is doing Te Ariki’s tā moko today.” He told him. Mateo perked at the mention of the carvings and broke into a run. Jongho laughed behind his hand and took off after his best friend, the wind brushing his hair across his forehead as he ran. 

Some of their neighbors greeted them, laughing and waving at the boys. 

“Ah, Kahurangi must be at work today for the boys to look so excited.” a woman cooed as she balanced a basket full of karaka berries on her hip. She spun around effortlessly as Mateo rushed past her, but Jongho blushed as he waved to the woman, slowing his pace so he wouldn’t run into her before picking up once more. 

They slowed when they got to Jongho’s home, finding his father already outside with Te Ariki.

Kahurangi, Jongho’s father, was the village’s tohunga tā moko, and often taught others how to make the beautiful carvings. Te Ariki came to them often, having more lines added to his own tā moko. 

His buttocks, all the way down to his ankles were covered in the dark lines. His family’s story, his accomplishments as the town’s tohunga whakairo and how the weapons he carved often lead to victory, all of it was carved into his skin. 

Jongho and Mateo greeted his father quietly before settling down to watch the man work, his tools at his side as he carved fresh lines into Te Ariki’s jaw. He was so immersed, he didn’t even acknowledge the boys, singing a song under his breath as he worked. 

“I can’t wait to get my first tā moko.” Mateo whispered, taking time to admire Kahurangi’s craftsmanship. Jongho nodded, his eyes never leaving his father’s hands. 

His father used to be a warrior, until an ambush left him with severe nerve damage to one of his legs. It tore him up to not be able to fight and train with the others, but he became the village’s finest tohunga tā moko, and even gave Rawiri the intricate tā moko on his face after he became their new leader, something that happened so long ago, Jongho couldn’t remember it clearly. 

The boys sat there for so long, the sun had begun to set around them, bathing the four of them in a gentle orange glow as Kahurangi finally pulled away, his eyes narrowed as he reviewed the carved lines. 

“Alright. That’s enough for today. We can do more fresh in the morning.” He told him before he rolled his neck, blinking in surprise when he noticed Mateo and his son watching them with goofy smiles on their faces. 

“Oh! Jongho, Mateo, tēnā kōrua i tēnei ahiahi.” He greeted, standing to stretch his legs, his cane in his hand. Jongho hopped up from his seat first, standing on his tip toes to meet his father half way, pressing their foreheads and noses together as he held his forearms. 

“Good evening to you too, Papa.” Jongho smiled, stepping aside to greet Te Ariki while Mateo greeted his father. 

“You two really will turn out to be fine warriors, I can tell. Sitting so still for so long despite being so young? Amazing. If my vision was a bit worse, I would’ve mistaken you both for statues.” He chuckled. The boys rolled their eyes playfully, but perked when a young girl stopped by to tell them the deer they hunted was nearly ready. 

Mateo and Jongho exchanged a look. 

“First one there gets the bigger pieces?” Mateo offered, arching a brow. Jongho smiled and rolled his shoulder, a spark of competition in his eye. 

“You’re on.” 

In an instant, both boys took off like a bullet, storming through the town while Kahuranga and Te Ariki laughed merrily, leisurely making their way after them to eat together with the rest of the village. 

**-Age 14-**

“Are you ready?”

Jongho hummed, tying his hair up to secure it off of his head before he nodded towards the men at the outside of the circle. Instantly, pointed sticks were raised in his direction. 

“Jongho, reiri!” He barked, bouncing on his heels after telling the warriors around him that he was ready. 

"Tīmata!" 

A spear came flying at him from the left, and he pivoted on his heel, throwing it back faster than it was thrown at him. The thrower caught it and let out a laugh before tossing it back. 

To and fro, back and forth. 

He caught the spears, he tossed them back. They had been at it for who knows how long long until one of the throwers eventually dropped the spear. 

“That’s it! Good job, Jongho.” Rawiri cheered, motioning for him to change places with Jongho. The teen wiped his brow, exhaling as he took his place beside Mateo. 

The two boys had grown significantly over the past few years, with Mateo standing at nearly the same height as his father now while Jongho was an inch or two shorter than his friend. 

They were training, something that had become more and enjoyable for them the older they got. 

Mateo showed great promise as a warrior, and had been rewarded as such for his prowess with a tā moko stretching down from his left buttock all the way to his thigh. Jongho was envious. In just his friend’s leg alone, was the story of the generations of his family before him, of the battle against Atuaaha’s men that lead to him fully getting the tā moko, and his good health, as well. 

It only made him work harder so he could earn his own. 

“Dinner is ready.” Jongho’s mother notified the group, a smile on her face at the way all of the boys greeted her with joyful waves. 

Rawiri looked behind him, noticing the group of women that followed Aroha as she motioned for the warriors to take a break. They stood on the dunes at the end of the beach that separated the beach from their village. 

“Ah, got it. Thank you, Aroha. Lets go!” He ordered the young warriors to follow him as he and Aroha led the way back. The dinner for the night was toroi made in pūhā juice. His mother made parāoa rēwena with the other women and that alone made all of them quicken their pace. 

His mother’s bread was everyone’s favorite side, so much so she had gotten into the habit of making extra for the village. The other women in the village often made jam from the karaka berries to spread over the bread as a sweet treat for them all to enjoy as well. 

They distributed the food amongst all of the villagers, and Jongho took the time to give his mother an extended hongi, nuzzling their noses together as he closed his eyes. 

“Thank you, Mama.”

“Anytime, baby. Go eat, I put extra love into it today. You’ll need the energy for tomorrow.” she told him. He took his bowl and moved to sit beside Mateo, eating quietly as Rawiri began to speak. 

They would be having a formal gathering the next day, but all of the warriors were on edge. 

It wasn’t often another chief tried to smooth over bad blood and unite two tribes. 

The two of them had been distant rivals for generations, but chief Tama was adamant about smoothing things over once and for all between them and moving forward together. 

There were whispers about it only being because they were a weaker tribe and needing to merge with a stronger one to survive, but Jongho honestly didn’t care much for those rumors, he was just worried about it being a setup. 

He hadn’t gotten to see much of other tribes in his young life, so meeting another tribe put him on high alert. 

Mateo didn’t seem worried, however. In fact, he was practically vibrating with excitement over the idea of having more people to interact with outside of their small village. The older boy ate his bread, leaning against Jongho as his father talked about the next day’s meeting. 

Jongho set his head above his as he ate, enjoying the warmth coming from his best friend. 

-x-

“Jongho.”

“Mmmn.”

“Jongho-”

“Five more-”

“Get up!” 

Jongho jolted as a hard slap fell onto his thigh. He leered at Mateo as he looked up at him, puffing his cheeks out. The man was already dressed up, his hair neatly tied up in a bun, a comb holding it in place as brightly colored feathers peeked out of his dark hair. 

Jongho groaned and rubbed his eye, rolling out of bed quickly. Mateo rolled his eyes and walked out first, muttering something about the younger man sleeping through anything if he was allowed to. 

Jongho rushed out after him, joining the others in the center of the village. 

In a matter of hours, Tama, his daughter, and some of their village’s important figures would be there, and Rawiri made sure to instill in them how important it was that they hear the other chief and those accompanying him out in whatever it was that they were asking of their village. 

Though, they all knew. 

After an hour or two of further preparations, they finally saw Tama and his party break through the treeline. Mateo nudged Jongho as they stood in line in front of the entrance to their village. They, along with some other warriors stood to greet them with a haka, their movements sharp and powerful as their guests walked closer. 

When they finished, Tama and Rawiri were standing face to face. They looked at one another before pressing their foreheads together in greeting, firm grips on their upper arms. 

Jongho took the time to catch his breath, reviewing the group of people Rawiri brought along with him. His eyes landed on a young woman around Mateo’s age. She looked to be just as curious as he was, her lips pursed as she looked around the group. She already had a tā moko on her chin and lip, and part of Jongho wondered when she got it, and if it came early for her being the chief’s daughter. 

Her eyes fell on Mateo, and she paused, looking the man over. 

Mateo arched a brow before sending a wave in her direction, a boyish smile gracing his face. 

Jongho hid a laugh behind his hand and moved to follow Rawiri and Tama into their village, taking note of the way the young girl immediately gravitated towards Mateo. 

-x-

The first week of the visit to their village was filled with the sound of music, the people mingling and telling stories of their families and telling old stories by the fire. 

It turns out all of them were right to assume they would propose a merging of the tribes, but they did drop something heavy on them.

“Part of the reason why we’re asking for us to become allies is Aatuaha’s men. They’ve sent war parties out after us time and time and time again, and it looks as if they’re fully prepared to wipe us all out. We’re ready to wholeheartedly bring gifts to sweeten the deal to our union, but we do ask that you take this into serious consideration, Rawiri. They’ve tried to get me to lower my guard, sent promises that the attacks would stop if we give them complete control of all of our lands but… I don’t trust them, naturally. That, and he’s adamant about marrying my daughter off to his son, and that’s never going to happen.” 

Jongho frowned and moved away from the room where the chiefs were talking, moving to tell Mateo what he had heard. The man was outside when Jongho found the older teen walking with Amara, the lovely girl from earlier, to the beach. 

The two of them walked along the beach, the light of the full moon illuminating their way as they walked and talked, their feet digging into the sand. 

Jongho watched the two of them for a moment before he decided to give the two teens their space. 

He’d tell Mateo another day. 

-x-

The next two months went by faster than normal as the two tribes agreed on making a peaceful union between them. 

Rawiri took in more of Tama’s warriors, training them to be as powerful as his own men. Tama shared information they all had gathered before the union, archiving it for them along with their own records. 

There’s a calm that always comes before a storm. 

The first time Aatauaha’s men decided they wanted to make it known that they didn’t appreciate the arrangement came in the form of an ambush. 

As the months passed, they had gotten accustomed to the peaceful passing of each day, so when some of Tama’s men were walking through the forest between his village and Rawiri's village, they didn’t stand a chance against the war party as they were ambushed before the sun fully rose in the sky. 

The rage that filled both villages was something that shook them to the very core and Jongho spent extra time with Mateo preparing for war. Aatuaha's men weren't fools. They only struck when the numbers were smaller, or when the parties were tired from travel, and usually never left any survivors. 

“Mateo, I’m worried about what’s to come.” Amara’s voice caught their attention as they both sat in Te Ariki’s hut, watching as he carved designs into a wahaika, his brows knitted together. The man ignored the teens as he worked, choosing to let them have their conversation in peace. 

“I know, Amara. I know, but if things keep going like this, they’re going to wipe us out one by one and that’s not how we’re going down. If they want a war, they can get one.” He growled, putting his calloused hand on top of hers. She put her head on her shoulder, looking down as she exhaled.

Jongho stood by the doorway, leaning against it as the rain fell outside, a small chill brushing over his cheeks. He stared out at the treeline, his eyes narrowed as the clouds blotted out the sky above the village. 

-x-

The morning it all came to a head, they had been in the forest, grabbing berries to be used for jam later. The women in the village no longer felt safe doing so with the attacks growing in number. The men walked close together, their weapons held tight in their hands as they plucked the berries. 

In the months that came after the first wave of attacks, Jongho felt a shift in the vibe of their daily lives. People hung their heads as they walked around town, the warriors found that sleep eluded them more and more, while the other members of the village did everything possible to keep life as normal as possible. 

Anger and sadness clung to their village, and Jongho felt the childlike joy of his youth ripped away from him, the void being filled with the raw feeling of rage. 

Mateo was just as bad, having been the chief’s son, he had to deal with the brunt of his father’s stress, watching as Rawiri begun to tear into his own leadership after being invested and insulted by the constant barrage of ambushes besting their warriors. 

Right as the members of their party picked up their baskets for the day, there was a shift in the trees and all of them tensed. The basket fell out of the gatherer’s hands, the berries falling to the ground as they all raised their weapons. 

A loud shout came from the trees, and in a matter of minutes, as they expected, the men rushed out of the trees, and the forest exploded into instantaneous warfare. 

Jongho’s growled, grabbing his taiaha in a white knuckled grip. His heart pounded in his chest as a larger man swung a patu at his head. He rose his hand, hitting him in the wrist before he pivoted on his heel, maneuvering out of the way. 

He held the base of the taiaha, leering at the man in front of him. He twisted his wrist, the feathers at the end of the weapon drawing the man’s attention towards it or the briefest of moments. It was more than enough to distract him as Jongho swung it around, clipping the man in the jaw before thrusting the sharpened edge of the blade into the man’s chest. 

Mere feet away from them, Mateo let out screamed, using his larger body to overpower the other warrior. He swung the mere pounamu in his hand, the weapon cracking several of the man’s ribs before he swung his hand back and cracked him in the jaw once, and then another time in the temple, moving away from his fallen body the moment he collapsed. 

Although they had the disadvantage because of the ambush, Mateo and Jongho’s group managed to chase some of them back into the thicket. Jongho didn’t lower his guard, checking on their wounded. 

Mateo sent him a nod before he beckoned for a few men to follow him into the thicket. They would go forth to try and take out the rest of the warrior party. 

Jongho carried one of the men out of the clearing before looking back into the forest, noticing it was taking him an awfully long time for Mateo to come back. He broke into a run and rushed back into the forest, his taiaha on his back as he headed in the direction of where his best friend disappeared to with his party. 

They...really should have chosen a different time for foraging. 

He stepped into a wet patch of grass and felt his breath run short. He shakily looked down, finding blood between his toes, his heart dropping. Jongho looked to his left, feeling like he took a swift punch to his chest as he noticed the taiaha dangling from his chest. The feathers were drenched in blood, as well as the base of the wood. In his dangling free hand, as he breathed shallowly, was his mere pounamu, the blood smeared on the greenstone informing the teen that Mateo had managed a fatal blow before the pain and blood loss got to him. 

Jongho rushed over to him, his eyes wide as he reached for his friend, unsure what to do with the taiaha currently embedded in his chest. Mateo looked at him, smiling crookedly. 

“Hey there, I uh...haha...seem to have gotten myself in a bad situation.” He laughed lightly, grunting in pain as Jongho reached to remove the weapon from his chest. He stopped as soon as he started, panic setting into his face as he tried to come up with something. 

“M-Mateo please just hold on...we can take you home...we can take care of you we...we…”

Mateo huffed out a shaky breath before he reached for the taiaha, yanking it out in one swift go. He cried out, tears running down his cheeks as he staggered. 

“Mateo? Don’t move so much, here-” Jongho gently moved to help him, putting his arm over his shoulder as he slowly led him back towards the way they came, being extra careful to not jostle the man any more than he already had been. 

The younger man slowly made his way back towards where they came, his knees shaking as he heard Mateo’s breathing thin out.

“I’m so sorry...I should have been faster I...I-”

“Don’t blame yourself. I should have been more careful.” He chuckled before his head slumped down on Jongho’s shoulder. He squeezed Mateo’s hand lightly, panicking when he didn’t feel him squeeze back. Mateo suddenly got heavier in his arms and Jongho’s knees buckled, collapsing forward. 

The young teen struggled under Mateo’s weight, feeling the claws of terror dig into his body as his chest was pinned to the ground. He tried to lift his body to no avail, the feeling of being trapped making panic flood his body. Mateo’s eyes were closed as he panted. 

“Mateo...Mateo, it’s hard to breathe...I need to get up…” He shook, trying to push his friend off. Mateo let out a weak sound, his hand feeling like lead as he tried to lift his hand. It didn’t work, and he let out an airy laugh, the sound being interrupted by a pained cough. 

“I’m...I’m sorry….I’m…”

Jongho squeezed his eyes shut as Mateo’s breathing cut itself short. His heart thundered in his chest, feeling caged in and trapped by Mateo’s form as he struggled to free himself from being under the man, the exhaustion of the earlier fight and the emotional strain leaving him feeling weaker than usual. 

When all of that failed, Jongho took a deep breath, letting out a booming yell, hoping to draw the attention of the right people. 

Jongho let out a pathetic sound and moved to try and embrace Mateo’s form, his eyes squeezed shut tight. 

-x-

Being a warrior was an important part of who they were. 

Dying in battle was the ultimate honor, and those who passed were to be honored, with people coming together to share the stories they shared, all of the memories, good and bad. 

As he stood beside Rawhiri, his eyes downcast as he performed his haka with the other warriors, his lip pulled in between his teeth as he heard Rawiri’s voice shake from beside him he led the haka, his massive form standing at the center of the group. Tears rolled down his cheek as he slapped his chest, his feet kicking up the dirt below while all of the villagers watched on, some of them in hysterics. 

Idly, Jongho absently looked on at the people around them as he followed his chief as they gave Mateo’s spirit his sendoff

Jongho wondered as a hollow feeling blew through his chest, if something was wrong with him. 

The chief, strong and powerful, had tears rolling down his face, but he hadn't felt a single one fully leave his eye since he’d lost his closest friend. 

It was like the world stopped. Moving backwards in slow motion for him while the rest of the world moved forward. 

Once they finished, and the funeral services started, Jongho moved to stand beside his mother. His body was stiff as a board everytime someone approached him. 

He bristled every time someone leaned in to give him a hongi, his chest seizing up as the phantom weight of Mateo against his back and the cold forest floor against his chest took over the moment they stepped into his space. 

As disrespectful as it was, he began to recoil as if burned whenever people got close to him. 

It took...some getting used to, but it had become an unspoken rule amongst their tribe to give the young boy his space, greeting him from a distance as an alternative. Jongho appreciated the move, he really did, but it left him feeling like something was wrong with him. 

It’s just a touch. A greeting. A hello.

But he just...couldn’t. 

Couldn’t cry, couldn’t take being embraced, nothing. 

What he _ could _ take, however, was revenge. 

Once the funeral services were over, Rawiri moved on to planning a full out attack in retaliation, changing up their tactics completely. Despite the village elders telling him it wasn’t safe for him to do so, he passed on his son’s mere pounamu to Jongho after Mateo was laid to rest one evening. 

“Rawiri-”

“Take it. They took Mateo from us, and I won’t stop until we take everything from them.” 

The teen ran his fingers over the greenstone, a shuddering breath leaving his lips as he wrapped the band around his wrist. 

It was dangerous to give an item belonging to one warrior to another, as the imbalance of mana was said to cause potentially catastrophic misfortune. But Jongho couldn’t bring himself to say no to Rawiri. As much as it hurt Jongho to lose his friend, as much as he blamed himself for Mateo’s death, he couldn’t begin to wrap his head around how destroyed Rawiri was to lose his son. 

Jongho accepted the weapon without hesitation. He would avenge Mateo and all of those killed in the war between their tribes. 

-Age 15-

“You still haven’t put your mind at peace, have you?”

Jongho sat with his eyes closed as his father carved into his thigh, the lines of Jongho’s tā moko precise. Even with his age, Kahurangi was still the best in their village. He didn’t open his eyes, but his father continued anyway.

“I can tell. You still have his mere, even after we’ve avenged him. And this tā moko, I know these lines. They aren’t your story, Jongho. They’re Mateo’s.”

Jongho finally opened his eyes, his hair falling past his shoulders as he looked at his father. His gaze fell down onto his thigh, feeling comforted by the piece of his best friend that would now always be with him. 

“It may not be. But he was a big part of my story. So this feels right. I don’t...know what my story is, anyway. All I know is that even now, knowing we’ve won, knowing Aatuaha is dead and knowing we’ve got a stretch of peace ahead of us, I still feel like I haven’t done enough to avenge him.” he admitted, closing his eyes once more. 

Kahurangi looked up at the face of his son, a small sigh leaving his lips before he continued. 

-x-

_ “Run! Run!” _

_ “Dammit, we had a deal, Whiro!” _

The sound of someone running through the forest caught Jongho’s attention as he walked through the forest. His lips pursed, his hand immediately going to his mere as he peeked past a tree, finding a pale woman running meters away from him, a box dangling from her wrist as she sped by. 

The ground shook as a large lizard chased her, much more massive than any animal he had ever seen before. 

Jongho’s brows pinched together as he watched the woman-noting the snow white ears on her head and the brush-like tail above her rear-turn and throw a ball of fire at the lizard. 

It shook it off and hissed, twisting its body sharply as it stuck her in the stomach. 

She reeled, falling to her knees as the lizard drew closer.

“_ Whiro, you filthy liar, I won fair and square! _” she snapped, the fur from her tail now dirtied from the ground as she tried to roll away. Jongho couldn’t tell what language she was speaking, frowning at the way it didn’t sound like anything he had ever heard before. He only picked up on one word that made his frown deepen. 

Whiro? God of evil and malice?

The lizard was quick, rearing up on it’s back legs. 

“Cheater, Hyuna. You’re a cheater and you know it!”

Oh. So the beast spoke his language. 

Despite his confusion, Jongho rushed out of the treeline, drawing the attention of the reptile. It hesitated and the woman reached to her wrist, opening the box wide. Jongho watched as a force pulled the reptile in, slowly as it tried to scratch and claw it’s way away from her, its claws digging into the ground before it lost its grip.

It was almost comical the way the beast seemingly shrunk down to size, flying back and falling into the box before the pale woman snapped the box closed. She panted, letting her head fall back into the flowers as she grunted. 

_ “I swear, I always end up with the sore losers. First Set, now this asshole.” _

She ran a hand through her hair and looked up at Jongho, sitting up fully. 

_ “Thank you, lad. You really saved my ass. _” She mused before she took in the look of confusion in his eyes before she cleared her throat. 

  
“Ah yes, I’m not in Britain. Hello, is this better?” She switched her language to Māori. Jongho’s brows went up in surprise. 

“H..hello…? Who are you? What the hell was that just now?” He inquired. She dusted herself off and stood, fastening the box to her hip before she plucked a twig out of her hair. 

“It’s a long story. Trust me.” She dismissed him casually, looking to her left as a gust of wind blew past them, a blonde man appearing beside her, out of breath with a deep cut in his arm. 

“_ Hyuna can we _ ** _please_ ** _ stop going after the goddamn malicious entities? If I get thrown through another fucking tree trunk, I’m gonna lose my mind.” _he huffed, his arms crossed as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Hyuna looked at his arm, a small sympathetic look coming to her face. 

_ “To be fair...Boreas nearly shattered every bone in my body when we beat him, and he’s not even malicious. Regardless, I’m sorry. Are you okay? _”

The two spoke in their language and Jongho lost interest. He wasn’t sure whatever magic was happening at the moment, but he was okay with just...walking away and leaving the strange duo to their own devices. 

“Oh! Wait a moment!”

He stopped as the woman walked towards him, holding her pale hand out. It was empty and Jongho’s brows pinched together in mild confusion. 

“My name is Hyuna, and that’s Dawn. We’re...collectors, of sorts. You helped me out of that sticky situation, so I owe you.” She introduced herself and Dawn finally got the hint that Jongho couldn’t understand the language they were speaking before. 

“Oh, you helped Hyuna? Thanks. I would have been faster but y'know. Almost got my spine broken by an angry deity in the body of a lizard. Just another day, I suppose.”

Jongho raised a finger to ask what the _ hell _ that meant, but he lowered it, shaking his head. 

How...strange. 

“Anyway, my gift. Here.” She motioned to her hand, a swirl of black energy appearing before a single, large black crow feather appeared. He looked at it in interest, hesitantly taking it from her hand. 

“You can call me with this. If you ever want to cash in on that favor I owe you, just pull this baby out and say my name. I can do anything.” She promised. Dawn shook his head. 

“_ Almost _ anything. We’re not gods.”

“I mean. We’ve got powers from the gods so…”

“Hyuna, you’re confusing the boy.”

“You never let me have any fun, Dawn.” Hyuna huffed and turned to Jongho. 

“You can use it, or you can consider it a decoration, either works. Don’t worry about how much time passes, I’ll be there. Until then, farewell~” She chirped, the ears on her head twitching to and fro before her and Dawn disappeared in a plume of pink fire. 

Jongho pursed his lips, looking down at the feather before he tucked it into his hair, shaking his head as he moved to head back home. 

Little did he know, that single feather would give him the second start to his journey to redeem himself.

-Age 18-

Jongho set the bloodied form of his bounty down in front of the contractor, unimpressed by the way the man leered at him for the mess on the carpet. 

“I don’t know quite what I expected, but somehow it was something more...discreet.”

“Discreet wasn’t on the contract. You said to bring them in alive.” 

The contractor pinched the bridge of his nose before he reached into his drawer, tossing over a satchel of gold coins. Jongho caught it effortlessly, tossing it in his hand a few times to feel around and see if the weight felt appropriate for his payment before he stuffed it into his pocket, moving to leave now that the bounty had been collected. 

As he was turning, a poster caught his eye, with an artist rendition of a smiling brunette man. 

Curiosity killed the cat, and Jongho pointed a finger at the new wanted poster. 

“That’s new. What’s with the reward? It’s unnaturally high, even for you.”

“Ah, Captain Kim Hongjoong, hm? Simple, he’s a murderous pirate. A true vagabond, or so I hear.” he tsked and pushed his glasses up, rounding around to poke the man Jongho delivered to him to make sure he was alive. 

When he got a weak response, he hummed in approval and turned to the wanted poster. 

“Orchestrated an uprising on a ship and ended up killing the entire crew and I’ve gotten reports of him taking out an entire port and murdering yet another crew and a poor innocent woman. Though, I’m sure that one might hold some fabrications. The witnesses said something about a water dragon or some other nonsense. There’s a few bounties out on his crew members too, but their stories are as far fetched as his, so I’m holding off on fully issuing these bounties. Oh well,” he waved a dismissive hand, but Jongho took the poster off of the wall, lips pursed. 

“Looks like I found my next targets. Find as much information on them that you can and pass it to me.”

“They’re pirates, lad. They travel. Are you implying you’ll be tailing _ pirates _?”

“Has travelling ever been an issue? Just find the information and leave the rest to me.” Jongho looked over the edge of the paper, lips pursed.

The contractor’s brows rose for a moment before he let out a sigh. 

“Oh good. He’s got that look in his eye again.”

-x-

“Try not to get into trouble while you’re out and about.”

Seonghwa’s casual dismissal of them all was something they had all heard time and time again. He never took the chance to wander around and explore the port towns as much as the others, usually gluing himself to Hongjoong’s side the moment the young captain stepped off the ship. 

The remaining five men, however, scattered in different directions.

Yunho wandered off, his long strides making him disappear from sight within the bustle of the town, his head bowed down as he scribbled something in his notebook. 

San linked an arm with Mingi, flashing him a dimpled smile after waving goodbye to Wooyoung. San had promised he would take some time to find more books for Mingi as a reward for him finishing the small beginner level books he obtained at the last town. 

Yeosang rolled his sleeves up and grabbed a few members of the crew, adamant about making a huge feast to celebrate the birthday of one of their deckhands. 

That left Wooyoung. 

The man would’ve went with San and Mingi, but he wanted to give the two some time to bond and spend time with one another. Their last voyage was a little rough around the edges and San didn’t have much time to unwind. 

They’d been attacked at sea by another ship of pirates, and it became apparent they weren’t so skilled at fighting from such long distances while aboard the ship. 

Hongjoong and Seonghwa were the only ones capable of striking from far since Wooyoung and San had to steer them wildly out of the way of the oncoming cannon fire while Yunho worked on blocking the cannonballs with dense tree trunks after growing them rapidly on the sides of the _ Utopia _.

What a mess.

Wooyoung was glad they managed to handle it before serious damage was done, but everyone aboard had been on edge since the encounter, even if they didn’t want to admit it to one another. 

The smaller of the two Sailing Masters considered getting some yarn so he could sit down and have Mingi teach him how to crochet, but immediately a different idea came to mind. 

He could just buy everyone a gift!

Satisfied, he patted his back pocket to check for the pouch where he kept his money before realizing his pockets were empty. He frowned and checked in his coat pockets as well before sighing. 

Right. He’d given it to San and Mingi.

Wooyoung looked left and right before ducking into an alleyway, inhaling deeply. 

Moments later, he held his hand out, singing and focusing on the center of his palm. An intricate gauntlet formed, with deep grooves and ridges he added for a nice touch. He’d seen something like this in one of Seonghwa’s books (the rare one that had the occasional picture in it amongst all of the scholarly crap Wooyoung didn’t care for). 

On the other hand, he made a peculiar dagger. He’d learned most buyers enjoyed weapons with weird designs on them and would give more gold and silver for them as a result. 

As the last tune drifted off, Wooyoung smiled, tucking both items into his satchel. Hey may not have had his wallet, but he always had a satchel with an inner plant lining with him. The plants came from Yunho and Mingi showed them all how to weave them together to make mats. Wooyoung took his mat and settled it in a satchel Seonghwa bought him in one town. The mat kept the blades he made for quick money from puncturing and cutting through the satchel. 

After closing the bad, Wooyoung hurried out of the alleyway. He had to find someone to buy the items off for him so he could afford whatever presents he could pick up for the crew. 

As he rushed by, he missed the form of the man leaning against the brick wall, watching his every move.

-_ ”From my understanding, there’s no dirt on some of the crew, but according to my informats, the banshee boy uses vocalization for his powers. I still think this is a bit bogus and more trouble than it’s worth-” _

_ “Nevermind that. Tell me about the next one. Wooyoung, was it?”- _

The sun began to set as Wooyoung moved to go back to the inn they were staying in, his strides wide as he held onto the bags of gifts he had purchased. He was about to round the corner when he heard a crying child. He blinked in surprise, looking over at the child. 

They were crying in front of a trash bin set outside, with dirty cheeks and clothing. The pirate frowned, slowly approaching the small child. 

“What's wrong, lad? Are you hurt?” he inquired, holding his hand out so he wouldn’t scare the child. They looked at him, sniffling as they backed away. 

“Who...who are you?”

“My name is Wooyoung. I’m a...sailor. Do you need help?” He paused, not wanting to scare the child away by calling himself a pirate. The small boy seemed to size him up before an audible growl left his stomach. He flushed in embarrassment before looking away. 

“I’m...hungry. I haven’t been able to eat in...a long time.” He admitted. Woo’s heart broke at the admission and he pursed his lips. 

“What if I buy you food?” 

The child perked and Wooyoung sent him a smile. 

“Can you wait here? I’ll come back.” He promised, hastening his steps as he returned to the inn, sending all of the lounging crew members a warm smile as he set his bags down in he and San’s shared room. He grabbed his money, putting it in his pocket as he darted out quickly. 

Maybe if he gave the child enough money, he could find somewhere to stay and wash up. The poor child looked like he hadn’t been able to freshen up in a very long time. 

For the second time that day. Leery eyes followed Wooyoung’s movements, looking down at the sheet of yellowed paper that read ‘bounty’ in bold lettering at the very top. 

-x-

The look on the small child’s face when Wooyoung returned made the Sailing Master’s heart stutter. He bought the child some cooked meats and cheeses, along with a few loaves of bread. He tucked some money into the bottom of the basket. 

“Okay. Do you have somewhere dry and warm to eat?” 

The child bounced and grabbed his hand, pulling him through the slums until he stopped outside an abandoned store. Wooyoung let himself be dragged in, his gaze softening when he saw the child take the bag, running over to his little sibling. 

“Thank you..thank you so much.” The small boy cried as he broke off half of the bread, handing it over to his sister. He smiled and nodded. 

“Of course. Enjoy it.” he stayed to make sure the kids were eating well before he turned to leave, looking up at the night sky as the stars twinkled above him.

As he was walking, Wooyoung realized he was a tad bit lost, looking around in confusion when he noticed he hadn’t popped up back on the main road. He looked around, sighing. 

“Shit, I shouldn’t have zoned out when he took me. I have no idea where I am.” He muttered to himself. There was a shuffle to his left, drawing his attention to the large man in all black who suddenly appeared. 

He had a long, wooden staff perched on his shoulders, rolling his neck as he looked at Wooyoung. Immediately, he got a bad feeling from the man. The man took long strides to close the distance between the two of them, his gaze fixed on the smaller man. He stepped away from him, and noticed the man grabbed the staff, holding it in his hand as he sighed. 

“You. You’re from the _ Utopia _, yes?” he started, his voice rough. Wooyoung frowned.

“Who’s asking?”

“That’s a yes, then. You must be Wooyoung, the metal one, no?”

Wooyoung bristled and grit his teeth, tapping his toe against the concrete as he sized the man up. He could use his capoeira and powers if he needed to. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, but it was becoming more and more apparent that he wasn’t going to leave peacefully. 

The man watched him with a half lidded stare, spinning the wooden weapon in his hands, the brightly colored feathers at the neck of it catching Wooyoung’s attention. 

“A smaller bounty, but I only need to pick you off one at a time.” 

Woo frowned. 

Bounty?

In an instant, the man let out a loud bark-like shout that startled Wooyoung. He jolted as the sharp top of the weapon was thrust at him. He cursed and inhaled deeply, ready to let out a shrill scream when the man planted his foot down hard on the ground, thrusting the blunt end at the bottom of the staff into Wooyoung’s stomach. 

The air was knocked out of his lungs as he coughed, clutching his stomach. He rushed out of the way and sucked in a deep breath, screaming at the top of his lungs. 

The sound startled birds as blades of metal flew at the bounty hunter. He sneered and ducked into an alley, the blades destroying part of the alleyway. 

“What? Running away?! Fight me!” Wooyoung barked, running in the direction of the alley the man ducked in. As soon as he reached a corner, the blunt end of the staff struck him in the head before he was knocked back by a hard, two-handed swing to his stomach. Wooyoung buckled and stepped away from the man, dodging all of the sharp jabs the man sent in his direction with the non-sharpened end of the blade. Wooyoung’s heart thundered in his chest as he backed away with every near hit. 

Maybe...he should run and regroup. 

The man noticed the shift in his body language and smirked, jostling the staff. 

From the way the feathers moved, Wooyoung was getting ready for a stab. Instead, the man swung the staff with clearly years of practice and training, swinging it full strength and hitting him dead center in his throat. 

Pain erupted through Wooyoung’s neck as he collapsed, his hands around his throat as he gasped for breath. The man slowly stood over him, his expression unreadable as he lifted the sharpened end of the staff. 

Wooyoung looked up in terror at the man, noticing he couldn’t speak after the hit. 

If he couldn’t vocalize, he couldn’t use his powers. 

He flinched when the bounty hunter moved to strike him, but the sound of a small scream and something flying through the air stopped the man. He frowned and turned, standing to his full height when he saw a child throwing rocks at him.

“Stop it! Don’t hurt him! You’re a bad man! A bad man!”

The bounty hunter’s brows furrowed, genuinely looking conflicted. 

“Boy, what the hell are you on about?” Jongho pointed to the pirate, shaking his head. 

“This man is a pirate. A murderer. If I don’t stop him, him and his friends will hurt so many more innocent people.” He tried to reason with the child, but he shook his head, throwing another stone. 

“No! He helped me! My sister and I were hungry and he...he…”The child’s lip wobbled and the man hesitated, his full attention on them. 

While he wasn’t paying attention, Wooyoung lunged up, biting down on his leg before he swung and punched him in the face when he turned his attention to the sudden flare of pain. 

With the distraction in place, Wooyoung took off down the street, holding his throat with one hand as he did so.

He had to go. He had to find Hongjoong and the others and tell them about this. 

Bounties? Bounties?!

Since when were their bounties on their heads?!

In his frantic panic, Wooyoung missed the second set of men tailing him until they blindsided him, striking him with a pipe and knocking him unconscious. They hoisted the man up and hopped into a carriage, rushing off before the first bounty hunter could catch up to them.

The man huffed, rubbing his sore thigh as he watched the carriage disappear down the street, cursing. 

-x-

_ “What have you done?! He helped us! He helped us!” _

_ “That doesn’t make him a good man-” _

_ “And you’re good?! You attacked him for nothing! You’re a monster! A bad man! I hate you!” _

_ “....” _

_ “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!” _

_ “....” _

-x-

Jongho cursed every star in the sky as he snuck around the perimeter of a whiskey distillery, his nose curling at the smell. He didn’t even want to be here fully. He had lost his bounty to some vulture hunters, but the guilt from having that child rip into him for attacking the pirate made him feel...awful. 

Was he actually wrong in his actions? Was the man actually a good natured person?

“Bullshit. Fucking bullshit.” Jongho snapped under his breath as he noticed a small window towards the back of the distillery. He peeked into the window, hoping to find a way in. 

Instead, he found the slumped form of the pirate Wooyoung, dried tear tracks on his cheeks as he tried to speak. Jongho felt a pinch of guilt claw at him before he shook his head and tapped at the glass. Wooyoung turned towards the sound, seemingly excited, but his smile fell into a sneer as soon as it came when he noticed it was Jongho. 

The bounty hunter was unphased. 

“The lad told me to come get you out. While it’s admirable of you to take the time to feed a starving child between murdering innocents, I still don’t think that’s a good enough reason for your head to not be thrown onto a blade for it.” He told him bluntly. Wooyoung bristled, opening his mouth to speak, when a pained wheeze left it instead. Tears sprung back up into his eyes. 

He looked to his feet, finding a pad sitting on the ground. He grabbed it and felt around the damp ground for a pen before he walked back to the window, scribbling onto the paper. 

_ ‘Fuck you.’ _

Jongho rolled his eyes. Maybe he should just leave the man here. He didn’t owe anything to him-

_ ‘My crew are some of the most supportive and wonderful people in the world, how DARE you.’ _

Wooyoung leered as he held the paper up. Jongho pursed his lips, unimpressed. 

“Two murderous princes and a ruthless killer for a captain? Some wonderful people you have there.”

_ ‘Murderous? Yeosang has never harmed anyone in his life, let alone kill anyone. Seonghwa’s brother was slain because he tried to forcibly overthrow the entire kingdom, and Captain Hongjoong has only killed people who deserved it. Though, with your judgement, maybe you would’ve liked to let the other pirates that murdered Mingi’s family over stolen food and left a child an orphan go completely free, huh? You disgust me.’ _

Jongho stared at the pad for a long time, watching as Wooyoung’s chest heaved, raw emotion and anger in his eyes. Jongho felt his heart pang slightly, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his eyes. 

Gods, what if he really was wrong?

The younger man sighed before he heard voices coming from the distance. He pursed his lips, pushing himself up. He shot Wooyoung a quick look and nodded. 

“I...I might have made a mistake. Just hang tight. I’ll get you out of there.” He promised. Wooyoung understandably didn’t look like he believed him, but after a moment, he sighed and nodded, hiding the notepad as Jongho rushed away as someone turned down the alleyway. 

Wooyoung sat with his knees pulled up to his chest. He didn’t sleep that night. 

-x-

“Wooyoung!?”

“Woo! Woo where are you?!”

The people in the port town startled as the pirates called for their missing member. 

San and Mingi returned last, laughing with armfuls of books, and nearly dropped them when they saw the panicked look on Hongjoong’s face.

“Is Woo with you?” He asked quickly. They frowned and shook their heads. 

So here they were, Mingi went to join Hongjoong and Seonghwa, combing the left side of the port while Yeosang, San, and Yunho took the other side. 

Jongho cursed. It would be...difficult to tell the pirates about the situation with them grouped up. If they turned on him, it could be...bad. 

Tying his hair up in a bun, Jongho turned to leave. Despite his better judgement and knowing full well the men would definitely be able to break the man out with their powers, Jongho wasn’t too keen on being killed in the crossfire. 

As he walked away, resigning himself to the fact that he may have to break the man he got captured out all by himself, a small head peeked out from behind a dumpster, a child leering at his retreating form before he ran into the port.

-

_ “Excuse me?” _

_ “Oh? Hello, can I help you?” _

_ “You’re looking for your friend, right? Is he a nice man thiiiiis tall with yummy snacks?” _

_ “Oh?! Have you seen him?” _

_ “A bad man hurt him. And more bad men took him. I can show you where they are.- _

-Dusk, Next Day-

When Wooyoung heard a hand jiggling the door handle to the room he was in, he stood abruptly, his lip curled up as he got ready for a fight. He wouldn’t be able to use his powers, as the blow to his neck left him completely unable to speak, but he could still fight using what he learned from Yunho. 

He had already been captured against his will once. He wasn’t about to do this shit again. 

The handle continued to jiggle before it was broken off completely. Wooyoung blinked in surprise as he looked over to the door, finding the man that had struck him in the throat standing in the doorway, a small jade club-like weapon in his hand. He grunted and tossed an unconscious man into the room with his free hand, nodding for the man to follow him. 

Wooyoung looked at the man before he stood and hurried out of the room, stopping to punch Jongho in the jaw, eyes narrowed. 

The bounty hunter’s head snapped to the right before he inhaled sharply through his nose, touching his lip and tutting at the blood from the split before he nodded at Wooyoung, licking the rest of the blood off of his bottom lip. 

“Fair enough. I deserved it.” He motioned for Wooyoung to crouch down as they wove between rows upon rows of wooden barrels full of alcohol. Wooyoung kept a distance from him, but followed him, glaring at the back of his head. Jongho could practically feel his gaze, but he kept his gaze forward. 

“I’m sorry.”

Wooyoung’s eyes narrowed. 

“I’m a bounty hunter, obviously. But I guess...I’m guilty as well when it comes to not proper information gathering. I do recommend you and your crew be more cautious as you go forward. You have bounties on all of your heads. Dead or alive. Though, I guess since you’re apparently immortal, that first part doesn’t matter.” He mused, peeking past a barrel before immediately ducking back when he saw one of the bounty hunters rush by just ten feet away from them. 

A rough, calloused hand grabbed Wooyoung’s wrist as Jongho rushed by the moment the man turned his back, his footsteps light from his years of training. Wooyoung let out a weak wheeze in surprise, but kept his balance, coming to a full stop when Jongho did, running into his back.

“Nasty stuff, really. Both princes for familicide, with one burning the kingdom to the ground and fleeing, and the other murdering the entire royal family before leaving his kingdom to fall into ruin. Your captain has a pretty steep price on his head, too.” Jongho looked over his shoulder, looking at the displeasure in his face. 

“Taking your face into account, I take it there’s something lost in translation.” He sighed and moved to walk forward again when a loud bang and the sound of crashing waves filled the distillery. Wooyoung perked, a smile coming to his face as the distant sound of screaming filled the distillery. 

“WOOYOUNG!”

“Woo! Woo, amorzinho, baby where are you?!”

As they turned their attention towards the sounds, they missed the hunters that passed behind them. 

“THERE THEY ARE!” 

A bullet whizzed past their heads and Jongho swore, pulling Wooyoung along with him as the bounty hunters took off after them. 

“Okay okay, we just need to get you to them.” He ducked between two barrels, finding a broom closet. He pushed Wooyoung into it as the hunters closed in. 

“Stay here. I know you don’t have any powers right now. Just stay here and I’ll take care of this.” He ordered, closing the door before the hunters turned the corner. He sighed and pulled his taiaha off of his back. 

He swung it, his lip curling up as he sneered at the hunters. 

“Come at me.”

-x-

It became apparent where Wooyoung was the moment San rounded a corner noticed the large man single handedly fighting off the other hunters, keeping them away from a door behind him. San rushed past them, his eyes gleaming green and pink as he swept one man’s leg, elbowing him in the face when he fell forward. 

“Wooyoung?! Where are you baby?” San barked. 

The door swung open and Wooyoung ran out full speed, running into San’s arms, ignoring the hunters and jumping into San’s arms. 

The man hugged him close, cupping his cheeks as he smiled down at him, tears rolling down his cheeks. 

“Baby are you okay?” San whispered. Wooyoung opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out and his brows knitted up. San frowned and touched Wooyoung’s bruised throat, rage flooding onto his face. 

“What happened to you? You can’t talk?” 

Woo shook his head, turning to look behind him as the hunters began to get the advantage on Jongho. He pursed his lips, wanting to tell the others to step in and help, but before he could try, San grabbed his hand, leering at the Māori bounty hunter before he tugged Wooyoung along, leaving the man to get overwhelmed. 

Wooyoung tried to slow him down, but it was no avail.

-x-

“What’s wrong with him?” Hongjoong inquired as Yunho looked over Wooyoung’s throat, the triangle over his eye glowing an ice blue color as he scanned Wooyoung’s neck. After another moment, he pulled back, sighing and running his hand through his hair. 

“Laryngeal nerve damage from trauma.” He told them, frowning at the way Wooyoung flinched when he touched his neck. The pirates around him looked up at him, their brows furrowing in question.

“Yunho. In _ English _.” the captain reiterated. Yunho sighed and took a moment to remind himself that no one else around him knew medical knowledge as well as he did. 

“Nerve damage to the nerves around his voice box. Here.” Yunho pointed to either side of his neck where his voice box was located. When all of the men nodded in understanding, he continued. 

“He was struck hard enough to damage one or both of the nerves there. He had to have been struck pretty hard.” 

San’s anger flared and Hongjoong was close behind him, both of them moving towards the door when Wooyoung jumped off of the table, putting his hands up to stop them. 

The men looked at them, perplexed, but he shook his head, crossing his arms into an ‘x’ over his chest. 

“He doesn’t want you all to go back. We should respect that. He’s been through a lot tonight.” Mingi told them, moving to wrap a hand around Wooyoung’s shoulder. 

“Come on. Let’s get some tea, okay?” Mingi offered, smiling as Yeosang moved to join them. Yunho waited until they were gone to turn to San, Seonghwa, and Hongjoong. 

“He’ll heal. He just needs a day or two.” he told them, his hair going back to its chocolate brown color. 

It did little to quell the anger boiling under their skin. 

-x-

As Wooyoung slept, he pursed his lips, thinking about the bounty hunter. 

He hurt him because he assumed he was bad. But he came back, and even helped him escape. He couldn’t have been _ all _ bad himself, right?

Part of him felt so bad for sneaking out of bed the next night, but he could let out small sounds as his demonic powers healed him steadily, and he spent the next day slowly forming knives and hiding them in his bag throughout the day, so he was fully prepared to go in and repay the bounty hunter by freeing him. 

Was it stupid? Yes. 

Did he care? No.

He snuck out into the night, making his way to the distillery where he was being held.

After a few blocks, a hand grabbed him and he whirled around, swinging a knife at whoever it was who grabbed him. His wrist was caught and he leered before his gaze softened as he looked over at Hongjoong. 

“Where are you going?” it was a question, but the tone in his voice told Woo he already knew. 

Wooyoung looked down, shuffling.

“Want...to...h..elp…” He wheezed out. Hongjoong shook his head and put his finger over Wooyoung’s lips. 

“Woo, he hurt you. You can’t even speak baby.”

Wooyoung pursed his lips and pulled his wrist free lightly, stomping his foot like a child. Hongjoong sighed. 

“Wooyoung, this is serious-”

More stomping. An annoyed huff. Hongjoong stared at him incredulously for a long time before he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

A fifteen minute walk later led to the two pirates peering into the distillery window, tending when they found the bounty hunter in question bound to a chair. Wooyoung flinched at how beat up Jongho was. In just a matter of a day, they had stripped him down and beat him severely, and it made Wooyoung shuffle uncomfortably. 

It reminded him of the ship. 

Hongjoong looked at him, his brows pinching up before movement in the room drew his attention back towards the window. 

The man, Richard, chuckled, striding into the room, circling around Jongho's prone form. The man had his eyes closed, testing the feeling of the ropes at his wrist. He feigned unconsciousness, but kept note of Richard’s every move.

"Ah, ah, rise and shine, princess." He grabbed Jongho by the hair, yanking his head back roughly. Jongho growled, leering at him. 

"If you're going to kill me, I suggest you do it. If I get out of this chair, I'm going to break every bone in your body." 

Richard laughed, tilting his head to the side before he punched him square in the mouth, letting him go as the blood ran down his chin from his freshly split lip. 

"Oh? Is that what you're gonna do? You don't realize the situation you're in, do you? You're gonna die here, princess. I'm gonna take my time with you for letting the bounty slip out of our hands." He spat. 

Jongho rolled his head back, his muscles taught with barely contained annoyance and rage. He bounced his leg, his marked thigh jiggling as he dragged his tongue across his busted lip.

With a defiant tilt of his head, he spit right onto Richard's cheek, cocking his head to the side defiantly when the older man startled. 

"Fuck. You."

The man snarled and moved to punch him again when a shadow stretched around his wrist. He struggled against it, but the shadow lifted him up, whipping him down and knocking the wind out of him. Jongho looked up at the shadow in surprise before he noticed the two figures in the window. 

“You came...back?”

Wooyoung picked up the small shift in the man’s voice and sent Hongjoong a pleading look. 

“C...ap…”

“I know, baby. I know.” Hongjoong slipped into the room, landing on his feet as he looked over at Jongho. The man looked significantly more relaxed now that Hongjoong and Wooyoung came back. 

“You didn’t...have to. Especially after what I did to him.”

Hongjoong’s brow twitched, pointing at Wooyoung as he stayed in the window. 

“His neck. That was you?” 

“Yes, when I was trying to collect the bounty-”

Hongjoong punched him square in the jaw and Jongho let out a string of curses.

“Okay, again, I deserved that.” he muttered, moving his hands around, twisting his wrists free. He rolled his shoulder, hissing in annoyance at the stings from all of the cuts and bruises he had. He rolled his wrist and walked over to Richard, his eyes narrowed as he yanked Mateo’s mere pounamu off of his belt hoop. 

He looked down at his naked form before rolling his eyes, collecting his pants from the corner of the room. He looked over at Wooyoung in the window after making himself decent. 

“Thank you. I owe you.” He told him after Hongjoong gave him a lift out of the room before the three of them disappeared into the night.

-

_ “You owe me. So you’re going to pay me back by coming aboard our ship. I’ll show you how we aboard the Utopia really are.” _

“Wooyoung, I don’t think this is a good idea. San is going to lose his shit.

“I agree. I really don’t think it’s necessary to have me aboard.”

_ “I’ll talk to San when we get aboard. We’ll be okay, just trust me. I promise I know what I’m doing.” - _

_ -2 Weeks Later- _

"Why do you do that?"

Wooyoung's fingers fidgeted for a moment as he set the piece of bread in the bowl near the extra meat. He looked behind him, finding San watching him like an unamused bobcat. They had this argument on and off ever since Wooyoung came back with Jongho that night. Wooyoung sighed.

"Do...what?" He chanced the question, though the tension stretched across San's shoulders, and his displeasure was clear on his face. 

"See the good in literally _ everyone _? He's a fucking psychopath, Wooyoung. Why are you being nice to him?"

Wooyoung's expression soured before he met San's eyes. 

"He saved me, San."

San snorted.

"_ Saved _ you? Your life, I'm guessing? You _ can't _ die, Woo. And in case you forgot, he's the damn reason we got in that position anyway! He fucking cracked you in the damn throat and took you out of commission for three days while you healed!" He hissed. Wooyoung gripped the extra food tight and moved to walk around him when San grabbed his forearm strongly.

"Just. Stop. Why are you really doing this?"

"I don't think he's all bad, San. I’m showing him that we’re not anything like what’s on those bounty posters."

"Why must you see the good in _ ever _yone?!" San barked. Wooyoung flinched before he leveled the taller man with a look. 

"I saw the good in you, didn't I?" Were the words that left his lips before he gently brushed San's hand away, walking past him. 

San watched him leave, eyes wide before he clenched his fist and stormed off to the captain's quarters. 

The man knocked insistently on the door until the agitated form of Seonghwa opened the door, his eyes narrowing into a glare as he looked down at San. 

“I told you all to leave putois alone for the day, he has a headache-”

“This is important.” San gently pushed into the room, standing in front of Hongjoong as the captain sat up, his brows pinching together at the look of distress on the sailing master’s face. Seonghwa’s brow twitched in annoyance before he closed the door, letting out a sigh. 

If their lover was being so persistent, he had to have something heavy weighing on his mind. Honestly, he had a strong feeling he knew what it was, but he only leaned against the door as San took a breath, fixing his feline eyes on Hongjoong. 

“If you ever turn him, I’ll never forgive you.”

Hongjoong blinked in surprise as San clenched his fists, biting his lip so hard it hurt. Hongjoong pushed himself out of the bed and stood before the slightly taller pirate, noting the conflict and hurt shining in his features. 

“San-”

“I don’t want the run around, Captain. Just promise me. Promise me you won’t turn him.” San lifted his head and Hongjoong felt like all of the air had been punched out of his lungs at the raw look in his eyes. 

“I care about all of you. I love you. He wouldn’t have been able to permanently injure any of us, but just..what Wooyoung went through...I don’t understand why he’s letting him so close. Why _ you _ let him talk you into letting him get so close. But I’m _ not _ Wooyoung, and I want you to promise me.” San looked deadly serious. 

Hongjoong nodded.

“I promise, San.”

San’s shoulders didn’t immediately relax, but he pressed a kiss to the captain’s lips, embracing him tightly. When Hongjoong went to hug him back, he moved his lips to his ear, his voice even. 

“If you break the promise, I’ll never forgive you Captain Kim Hongjoong.” 

San stalked out of the room, turning sharply to the left and making a beeline for his room as soon as Hongjoong’s door slammed shut. 

As he left, he didn’t notice the form of Jongho pressed against the corner to the right, his gaze fixed on the deck. 

Without a sound, he turned and made his way back to his quarters, the wood of the deck cold under his bare feet. 

It was to be expected.

\- Months Later-

Jongho kept to himself over the weeks that followed, doing everything possible to keep himself out of the crosshairs of the other pirates. 

Namely, San. 

The man hated him with a passion, and Jongho could feel it, even now as he swabbed the deck, his hair secured in a bun on top of his head, he could feel eyes glaring into his head. 

Wooyoung did everything he could to reach out to their newest addition and make him feel welcome, and for the most part, Mingi, Yeosang, and Yunho eventually came around to accepting him as a member of the crew. 

Seonghwa was difficult to get a read on, as he often could be found watching Jongho’s every move with a steel-colored gaze, but he never let whatever he was thinking about the strange arrangement. 

Hongjoong also avoided most contact with the bounty hunter outside of giving the day's orders and sometimes giving him praise for doing a good job. 

San...was San. He hated him. Or at least, it took him much longer to come around to accepting that Jongho was a part of their crew. 

And honestly, Jongho didn't blame him. 

He was content with just...redeeming himself. Wooyoung and Hongjoong had saved his life, so he had taken to doing anything and everything to repay his debt. 

Redeeming himself through being a bounty hunter had backfired, but being able to keep the pirates safe in his own way would have to be a good enough substitute. 

He should have known that word would spread about the bounty. 

The Māori man had gotten into many fights since joining the crew, dispatching of other bounty hunters with ease. 

They didn't have the common sense to not try and attack them while in groups, and Jongho subtly made himself their body guard, something that had inadvertently made the crew warm up to him more and more. He had even gotten the nickname around the ship. 

They called him ‘baby bear’. 

He knew he was the youngest, but he still wasn’t _ quite _ sure what a bear was.

Regardless, he took to fiercely protecting Hongjoong, Wooyoung, and co (despite the looks San sent him whenever he fought on his behalf.), so he took the nickname as a compliment. 

Though, sometimes he _ did _ still get injured in the crossfire.

Which...was why he was here in Yunho’s room after a particularly nasty bar fight, having been stabbed in the shoulder before he slammed the wannabe bounty hunter head first into the hard wood of the bar. 

The sound of a hiss filled the surgeon’s room as Yunho wrapped fresh bandages over the gash in the smaller man’s shoulder. 

“Do you have to be so rough? At this rate, you’ll do more damage than the blade did.” Jongho grunted, voice rough. Yunho hummed, sending him a smile as he tightened them even more, ignoring the curse and hiss that came from him. 

“Aye, I do have to be rather rough. As much as I love my job, you keep pulling these stunts, I’m afraid you’ll get an injury I won’t be able to stitch back, baby bear. You should approach things more carefully, lad. There’s nothing those landlubbers can do to our Captain that can hurt him. You, however-” He finished wrapping the bandages, tucking the last piece under the first before he moved away from his shoulder. 

“You’re a human, Jongho. You haven’t made a pact with Hongjoong like us. You’ll get yourself _ killed _ trying to protect someone who doesn’t need it.”

Jongho clenched his teeth, pulling his torn up shirt before rolling his neck. 

“I have a debt to repay. Whether I’m immortal like you or not is irrelevant. I will keep the Captain safe until my last breath.” Yunho sighed and shook his head before leaving the room with him. 

When they reached the deck to go tell Hongjoong about his status, they found an unfamiliar woman standing on the deck. She was talking with Hongjoong as the blonde beside her yawned. She turned when they came up and her brows went up. 

“Oh, look who it is~ I never thought I would see you again.”

Jongho blinked, his lips parted.

“Hyuna?”

“Kia ora, Jongho. Come, I have a proposition for you all.”

  
  


-xXx-

Hyuna stood in front of the cave, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked over their group.

"I really appreciate you agreeing to help me out. You all can take whatever treasure we find. I'm here for the thunder drake." She tapped her fingers against the box dangling from her hip. 

"This is kind of exciting. I've never gotten to go on a real treasure hunt before!" Mingi beamed. Dawn sighed from beside Hyuna as they began walking into the cave. 

"I have a bad feeling about this." He murmured. Seonghwa nodded from beside him, but kept his hand on his falcata, his body poised and ready to strike at a moment's notice. 

"Oui, I do as well, but it seems our partners thrive on chaos." He mused, sticking his tongue out when Hongjoong shot him a look over his shoulder. 

"I don't _ thrive _ on chaos." He huffed.

"I do~" Hyuna chirped eagerly, practically skipping. 

Jongho followed behind them, tuning the conversation out completely as he looked around, taking in the surroundings. 

It had been a while since he had been in a cave and even then, the ones back home were explored extensively before he was even allowed to step foot inside as a child.

They also had a distinct lack of drakes in them.

He drifted slightly behind the group, taking in the formations on the inside of the cave. The moment they reached a point where there was no more sunlight to illuminate the way, Yeosang rose his head, his eyes switching to its demonic ruby color as he exhaled. 

Jongho watched the snowy ears and tail appear before the cook rose his hand, a circle of fox fire rising above them to light the way.

The move startled the bats resting above them and the group ducked down as the winged mammals rushed away from the fire, a flurry of panicked squeaks and flapping wings startling some of them as the bats relocated.

A terrified shriek came from Wooyoung, Mingi, and Dawn as the bats rushed away while the others laughed.

Jongho smiled slightly, relaxing only marginally as he continued to survey his surroundings now that he could see better.

Stalagmites and stalactites reached up from the ground and down from the ceiling, respectively like jagged fangs. There was a slightly stagnant smell from the runoff of water that fell through the cracks of the earth above, pooling into puddles onto the floor. 

He could see some insects scurrying about, unphased by their presence. 

As they walked, Yunho finally quickened his pace to stand beside Hyuna, clearing his throat to get the woman's attention. She arched a brow at him before tilting her head.

"Something plagues your mind, doctor? What is it?" She inquired. 

"I'm just a bit curious about how your powers-and the box-work. I just...find it weird I can hear my demonic side...but I'm the only one." He muttered. 

Hyuna didn't turn her gaze from the path ahead of her, humming. 

"I don't know why you can hear it, either. I've never given power to someone and have them still hear their other selves after they've overcome them. I wonder what makes you so different, doctor." She hummed before she shrugged a shoulder. 

“Guess you’re special. I hope the voice in your head is at least good company.” 

Jongho listened half heartedly, going back to what Yunho and himself had deduced. 

The others-sans Hongjoong-all had to fight the manifestation of the demonic powers, and ended up forcibly overcoming their ‘demonic selves’. 

Jongho tuned them out, turning his attention back to the walls when movement caught his eyes. 

He stopped abruptly, squinting into the darkness as he looked to his left. It was still for a long while, and he was about to turn his attention back to the group when he saw something shift. 

“RUN!” He barked, turning and sprinting towards the group as whatever it was in the shadows lunged at them. The group startled at his voice until the man rushed forward, then a reptilian creature rushing forward with a cry that sounded like a roar mixed with a falcon’s caw. 

It swooped down to grab him by the back, but a sickle attached to a chain flew past his face, embedding itself in the beast’s mouth. It roared in pain, blood gushing from the wound. 

Jongho looked over to find the wielder of the chain and sickle was Dawn. His jaw ticked in annoyance, one chain in his other hand while the handle of the other sickle was between his teeth. He tugged on the first chain, unphased as the beast writhed in pain. 

Hyuna looked over her shoulder, her brows rising in interest. 

“A wyvern? Does that mean we’re close?” She hummed. The wyvern screeched angrily, it’s tail slamming against the ground as it stood to charge again. Hyuna sighed and waved a hand over at the wyvern. 

“Finish it, Dawn. We should hurry. If there’s one so far out from the nest, we may be in for a lot.” She ordered. He hummed and nodded, disappearing in the blink of an eye. 

The pirate crew watched the man disappear in a gust of wind, appearing behind the reptilian beast and slamming the other sickle in his hand down on the beast’s spinal cord. It writhed in pain before collapsing. He tugged the sickle out before pursing his lips. 

“We should move fast before they try to ambush us. We don’t know how many of them are in there. We get in, grab the drake and the treasure it’s hoarding, and we get out.” He sighed, gathering the chains to the three sickles, swinging it slightly before they disappeared. 

“That was so cool!” Mingi was practically bouncing as Dawn went back to his spot beside Hyuna. The short blonde scratched the back of his head before he looked forward, noting the stalactites had begun to change from the normal rocks they were to crystals the deeper they got into the cave. 

“_ Sadece güzel… _” Seonghwa mused in Turkish, his lips parted as he looked around the cave. Yeosang’s flames reflected the colors of the crystals, and the shadows danced across the walls the deeper they got.

Jongho looked at the crystals, and part of him wanted a mere pounamu made from the purple stones on the ground. 

Apparently he had been looking at them for a long stretch of time, if the way Yeosang brought a flame closer to the stalagmites stretching out from the ground was anything to go by. The gunner smiled thankfully at him, looking over the raw stones in interest. 

A hand reached past him and touched the stone. Jongho followed the large hand all the way up to its owner, blinking as he saw Yunho revert to his demonic form, the triangle around his eye glowing as he muttered something, gazing at the stone. 

“It’s called charoite. Or so I’ve been told.” He informed him. Jongho looked back at the stone and Yunho chuckled. 

“We can come back and take it with us on the way out when we leave.” He promised, the triangle disappearing from his eye as he put a hand on his hip and smiled. 

“Over here!” Hongjoong caught their attention, looking down a drop in the cave. The two men rushed over to the group and Hyuna tilted her head, brows going up in wonder at how far down the drop was. 

“Normally they don’t dig holes so deep to keep their treasure, but the drake must be particularly protective. Stay on your toes, and have a nice fall~” She winked and took one step off of the edge, plummeting down first. Several black feathers flew upwards after the move and the boys heard the faint sound of cawing. Dawn sighed and jumped after her, muttering about her always being so hasty. 

Hongjoong pursed his lips and Seonghwa crossed his arms, looking uncomfortable at the height. 

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not in the business to shatter my ankles today.”

“Is tomorrow good, then?”

“I will push you directly down this chasm and laugh as you hit every rock down the way, putois.”

“Love you too, Hwa.”

“Mmmm.”

“No jumping necessary.” Hongjoong summoned a shadow, stepping on it before motioning for the others to follow. Without missing a beat, they stepped on and Hongjoong lowered it quickly, taking note in the way Seonghwa tensed and San reached for his hand. 

The moment they stepped off, they took note of the mounds of shiny objects scattered around the room. Hyuna was already ahead of them, her steps cautious as she surveyed the area. There were holes littering the walls, but other than that, the room was oddly still, a faint purple glow coming from the stones littering the room. 

The hairs on the back of Jongho’s neck stood on end as he walked in behind the others, alarm bells ringing louder and louder with every step they took deeper into the den. The gunner paused, pulling his hair up into a bun before he tugged on Yeosang’s hand, his stance tense as he looked at their dimly lit surroundings. 

The cave was still to most who were untrained in guerilla warfare, but Jongho pursed his lips, brows pinching up. 

“What’s wrong, Jongho?” Yeosang inquired, his brows going up as his ears twitched above his head. He picked up something, as well, and frowned at the unidentified owner of the sound.

“Everyone stop moving.” 

He spoke quietly with a sense of authority, and it drew most of their attention to the warrior. 

“The flames. Turn the flames on, Yeosang." He muttered, pulling his taiaha off of his back, the feathers shuffling from the move. Yeosang frowned and raised the plumes to the center of the room. 

The moment the fire appeared, there was a spark of something before a ball of electricity came hurling in their direction. 

Yunho reacted in a blink of an eye, raising a slab of charoite from the ground to block the shot before they noticed a horde of wyverns crawling out of the holes, screeching angrily. Hyuna held her hand out, a circle of magic coming from her palm before she slowly wrapped her fingers around a double edged staff, gripping it tight. Dawn and the pirates behind her were on alert in an instant. 

“Now this is the fun part.” She mused.

The wyvern outnumbered them by a long shot, and as Jongho back stepped away from the one closest to him swinging it’s mace-like tail, he couldn’t help the feeling this wouldn’t end well. He didn’t have enough time to speak on this, noticing the wyvern digging it’s taloned feet into the ground before whipping its tail out at him. 

He deflected, taking note of the tip of its tail and how sharp the spines on it were. They jutted out at least a foot wide on either side, and looked to be made of some type of bone. The wyvern screeched at him once more and lunged. 

A shout came from his left and a blade of metal cut into the wyvern’s shoulder, stopping it abruptly and Wooyoung sent him a kind nod before turning his attention back to the two three slightly larger wyverns charging at him and San. 

Taking the opportunity, Jongho planted his feet down and stabbed upwards with his taiaha, grunting in displeasure when the tip of the weapon didn’t pierce the thick hide of the wyvern’s chest. 

Hell, it didn’t even draw blood. 

“Oh...fuck me.” He yanked the weapon back and rolled out of the way as the wyvern began to thrash wildly, clearly more agitated and annoyed from the stray blade embedded in it’s chest. It reared up, its claws glinting in the fire light before it slammed its full weight down as Jongho moved to get up. The Māori man didn’t have enough time to fully react.

A shadow wrapped around his form and all but drug him to the left just as the claws embedded themselves in the ground where he once was. Jongho let out a startled yelp before he was placed behind a stalagmite close to Hongjoong and Seonghwa as they worked on freezing the wyvern in front of them and breaking off it’s limbs. 

“This is a bit too much for you. Stay put here please, baby bear.” Hongjoong instructed, pulling his hand back and letting him go from the shadow before he slammed it full force against the frozen tail of the wyvern, breaking off the tip. It screeched in pain and thrashed around, lime colored blood running out of the wound before Seonghwa-now fully transformed-rushed forward, driving his ice falcata in as deep as it could go into the beast’s neck. 

Even that wasn’t much for the unfrozen hide as it roared and bucked up, throwing the ex prince back as it began to limp, still aggressively trying to injure the duo. Two more came to it’s aid, making it a three on two and Jongho felt his leg twitch, needing to do _ something _ to intervene. 

“Stay put!” San ordered, raising the wyvern’s blood and forming a series of floating spears. The blood didn’t fully solidify like it normally did when San used his powers, but it didn’t seem to matter as he threw his hand forward, impaling a wyvern that had tackled Mingi to the ground. 

They watched as the blood from the spears burned through the hide of the wyvern the scales burning off as it writhed in pain. Mingi hissed and blew it off of him with a gust as the acidic blood dropped down near his body, burning through the sleeve of his jacket. 

“Oh, c'mon, this was my favorite!” He huffed, summoning a strong gust to blow the creature through a stalagmite, peeling his jacket off in annoyance as the wyvern stilled. 

“Dammit, there’s so many!” Hyuna spat, pivoting hard on her heel as she spun out of the way of a wyvern, stabbing it through the wing as it flew by before she yanked it out with force, thrusting it backwards and slicing another through the maw. 

She hissed at the blood that burned her hand and dropped her blade, recoiling as the wyverns thrashed and writhed. Both of them swung their tails in union, catching her in the abdomen and sending her careening into Yeosang. The flames flickered in the cave and went out, plunging them into near complete darkness again. 

There was an unholy screech and the sound of screaming, and Jongho frowned, cursing as his eyes took longer to adjust to the darkness. The cave’s lighting made it too difficult to see anything other than the blurs flying left and right as the wyverns flew by. 

From the sound of pained grunts, they were still attacking. 

“Yeosang? Yeosang!” Hongjoong called into the cave, trying to locate Yeosang. He was met with a low groan as the cook tried to recover, gently pushing Hyuna out of his lap as the woman tried to gather her bearings. 

Yunho pressed his palms to the ground, exhaling as the ground cracked at his fingertips. In a burst, several trees sprouted from the cracks, and moments later, brightly lit flowers illuminated the cave, bathing it in an ethereal light. 

They squinted at the sudden light before hearing a growl followed by the sound of flapping wings, the beat strong enough to cause gusts that made some of their footing unstable. 

The wyverns stopped attacking for a moment, and all of them turned their attention to the mound of treasure situated at the back of the cave. 

Hovering just above the mound was the large form of a golden drake, the scales shimmering in the cave as it bat its wings. At the pointed elbow of the drake’s wings were large, jagged charoite stones. It settled on top of the mound, both it’s chest and its thick club-like tail sporting the same stones as the wings. 

It took a deep breath and roared, shaking all of them to their very cores. 

“It’s the thunder drake.” Hyuna confirmed what they all previously thought, holding her hand out. Her staff reappeared in her hand, still sporting the burns from the wyvern blood. She leered at the damage to her weapon before her lip curled up in annoyance, the box attached to her hip dangling as she moved to face the beast. 

“You have _ no _ idea how much of a pain in my ass this is gonna be to fix.” She snapped. 

The drake roared once more, spreading its wings as the gems began to gleam and crackle with electricity. The wyverns sprung back into action, and the group noticed in dismay that they had grown in number after the appearance of their apparent leader. 

Behind the stalagmite, Jongho cursed, hating being mitigated to the sidelines while the others fought. 

San ran up the side of one of Yunho’s vines, throwing himself off and onto the back of a wyvern, striking it in the base of the neck before he held on for dear life as it thrashed and flew wildly, tying to shake him off. Wooyoung and Mingi stood back to back, keeping the wyverns at bay by bringing up spikes of metal from the ground and trying to sever limbs with concentrated wind attacks to their prone forms, respectively. 

Seonghwa’s bangs stuck to his forehead from sweat as he crossed his falcatas in front of him to keep the wyvern that had tackled him down from biting down on his head, a string of curses leaving his lips as it’s saliva dripped down onto his neck. 

Yunho wrapped a vine around it’s waist and flung it full force at the thunder drake, the corner of it’s lips twitching up as the blow knocked the large drake off of balance, sending it crashing to the floor. 

Yeosang exhaled and threw a ball of foxfire at the downed creatures, the markings on his face twinkling as he increased the flames. Dawn flew by, his three sickles embedded in a wyvern he had begun to steer wildly through the cave before he jumped off it’s back, the sickles dragging down it’s back along the way. 

“I can still put it in the box, it just has to be alive!” Hyuna reminded them, reaching for the box on her hip. Hongjoong wiped blood from his temple and sent her a flat look. 

“We’re trying not to lose any limbs here, lass.”

“Not like it won’t heal back. All you need is to keep all the parts together.” She tutted in response, looking over her shoulder. Hongjoong laughed humorlessly, running a hand through his bangs. 

“Kind of hard to keep them together if they get _ eaten _, you know.”

“I suppose you do have a point.” 

Hongjoong went to respond to her when he noticed the shadow shifting in the flames. His eyes grew and he opened his mouth to warn her of the drake still moving when a ball of electricity flew out of the flames, electrocuting the immortal woman. 

The men all paused as she let out a shrill scream, her hair burning at the ends as she collapsed, dazed. Dawn’s eyes grew as he rushed over to Hyuna’s aid. The drake sprung from the flames, looking none too worse for the wear as it swung its tail as soon as Dawn knelt down, knocking the couple into the cave walls before it turned it’s amber eyed gaze on Hongjoong. 

Jongho’s lips parted in concern as he watched the drake and wyverns begin to overpower the group, using their numbers to their advantage to take control of the fight. The man gripped his taiaha so hard it hurt, a helpless feeling slowly consuming him as he watched on. 

‘Do something. You are a warrior, are you not?’ he thought, grinding his teeth as his leg bounced in worry. He watched Wooyoung and Yeosang get tossed around like ragdolls, watched Yunho take a particularly nasty strike to the thigh, the blow sending him to the floor hard. Mingi shielded the other tall man from harm with a gust of wind that surrounded him while he stood, but Seonghwa and Hongjoong looked just as in trouble as the others, even with both of them trying to out maneuver the drake. 

The mixture of the unfamiliar terrain and the men not being as accustomed to their powers as the creatures was becoming a glaring issue. 

“You’ll get yourself _ killed _ trying to protect someone who doesn’t need it.”

Yunho’s words echoed through his head and Jongho looked down, adrenaline pumping through his veins. The surgeon was right. He was, truly.

But the younger pirate had already had a taste of what it felt like to sit back and be helpless to stop those you love from being hurt. 

He wasn’t about to go through that pain all over again, not if he could do _ something _.

San panted, using the blood that had begun to pool on the floor to turn into more projectiles, the runes on his face glowing as he huffed. Mismatched feline eyes surveyed the room before he decided to help take out the thunder drake, throwing the projectiles at the winged beast while it swung its tail at Seonghwa.

As he had his back turned, the wyvern he left on the ground rose it’s tail to strike him. 

A shout startled both of them and San turned in time to see Jongho thrust the sharpened end of the taiaha into the wyvern’s eye with all his strength. 

It twitched wildly, but went still when Jongho braced himself, snatching it out in one fluid motion. He panted and turned around when another dove at him, the sound of the wings flapping catching his attention as he leaned all the way back, the spikes at the end of the wyvern’s tail breezing by his face and just _ barely _ missing. 

The warrior let out a small shout and spun the taiaha around. The motions of the feathers caught the beast’s attention and Jongho snapped the whalebone weapon up with a hard flick of the wrist, sticking it in the throat before he whirled it around and stabbed it in the eye like the others. 

He didn’t have powers, so it seemed he had to continue to aim for the only soft spot he could actually strike.

“What the hell are you doing?!” San scolded, wrapping the wyvern’s own acidic blood to finish it off. He stood in front of Jongho, poking him in his broad chest. 

“You’re gonna get hurt!”

“I’ll be fine.” Jongho reassured him. San narrowed his eyes pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“Must you be so hard headed?”

Jongho flashed him a smile before it immediately fell once more as an ear piercing screech shook the cave again. The two men looked towards the sound, startling when they noticed how close the thunder drake had gotten to them. 

It lowered its body, the crystals embedded in its wings shifting before it flung it’s wings apart. 

Jongho shoved San aside hard as one of the charoite shards came flying at them. 

Pain bloomed in his abdomen and the gunner stumbled, letting out a shuddering exhale. His lips trembled slightly as he looked down, raising a bloodied hand to his face before he looked at the shard embedded in his stomach. 

He fell to his knees and San screamed, eyes widening as he scrambled on his hands and knees to the Māori man, his heart thundering in his chest as he watched the blood pool through his shirt. 

“Jongho? Jongho, look at me!” San shook him as he wheezed weakly. His vision was blurry, but he complied, looking up at San despite the fact that his focus was drifting in and out. 

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay. Breathe, just-”

San stopped short when Jongho put his bloody hand over his, sending him a look. 

Pain contorted his face, but he wasn’t afraid. 

“Where I come from, it is an honor to die in battle, y’know.”

“Jongho, no-”

“It’s okay...you can...you can use my blood, San. Take as much as you need.”

San shook his head, squeezing the man tighter as he snapped his head up, looking around them. Everyone had heard his scream, and he could tell they were doing their best to work their way over to the two of them without being overwhelmed by the thunder drake and the wyvern horde. 

“Hongjoong! Hongjoong please!” Wooyoung screamed, his voice cracking from overuse. It still sent blades at the drake, buying the captain an escape as he rushed over to San and Jongho. He looked at the crystal shard, cringing at how deep it went through his gunner’s torso. 

“Hongjoong….Hongjoong please….” Yeosang’s voice pleaded from somewhere behind them. Hongjoong hesitated, his hand hovering over the crystal as he looked into Jongho’s eyes. San’s chest heaved from behind him, looking at Hongjoong with unshed tears in his eyes. 

“What are you doing? Why haven’t you done anything to help him yet, Cap?” He inquired, his voice trembling. Hongjoong’s brows pinched up, conflicted, and Jongho laughed lightly from between them. 

“Because he promised.” 

San felt like he had been punched, looking at the way Hongjoong’s head bowed down, biting his lip hard in a silent confirmation. The Sailing Master had completely forgotten about the forced promise he had with the captain. The middle pirate looked down at Jongho, his heart breaking at the calm look that began to settle over Jongho’s face. 

Acceptance.

“I really...appreciate you all giving me a chance to redeem myself, despite what I’ve done to you all.”

“Jongho, no I didn’t-”

“The captain takes promises seriously, San. It’s okay. I’m not mad.” He closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling slower and slower. San shook, nudging Jongho until he opened his eyes again. 

“Do...do you think Mateo will forgive me?”

San snapped his head up to Hongjoong, tears streaming down his face. 

“I’m sorry. Please, I’m so sorry for making you promise me such a thing. Please, Captain. P-Please...He’s gonna _ die _, Hongjoong. He...he…” fat tears ran down San’s face as he begged Hongjoong, rocking Jongho back and forth between them as Wooyoung rushed to them, falling to his knees in hysterics, cupping Jongho’s cheek and shouting at him not to let go just yet. 

**‘What will you do, Captain? What’s more important? The man, or your word?’**

Hongjoong brought his hand up to the gashes in his shoulders, smearing blood on his palm before he shakingly swiped the blood off of Jongho’s midsection, his voice shaking as he smeared the blood on Jongho’s forehead and nose before doing the same to his own, lowering his face down to press their heads together, crying as he noted the lack of breathing coming from the younger man’s nose. 

_ “ _ _ No one take you down. _

_ It is our promise.” _

Hongjoong grabbed Jongho’s upper arms, squeezing hard as he sang quietly, keeping his eyes shut.

_ “ _ _ No one take you down.” _

San ran a hand through his hair, pulling at the dark strands as he cursed himself, apologizing frantically through his sobs while Wooyoung sat on his knees, watching Hongjoong cradle Jongho with an absolutely devastated look on his face. He hesitantly reached for Jongho, his shoulders shaking as a fresh wave of tears sprung up in his eyes. Hongjoong didn’t let go, taking a deep breath and exhaling, his breath warm against Jongho’s slowly cooling face.

_ “Don’t worry, I`ll be there. _

_ Shining like a star” _

_ -x- _

When he sat up, he immediately felt around his abdomen. He blinked in surprise, noting the distinct lack of bandaging, but also no sign of the crystal that impaled him. 

Ah. He’s dead.

Jongho ran a hand through his hair before he exhaled, pushing himself off of the ground. He noticed he had changed attire, his feet now bare and his pants being replaced with a maro. His upper body was bare, and Jongho noted his hair hung down past his shoulders,and he took a moment to breathe. 

It was all over.

He was...unsatisfied. But he supposed it was part of the territory. Most people, he imagined, weren’t fully prepared for death and Jongho would be lying if he said he was satisfied with how he left the other pirates. 

Oh well. This would happen eventually. Now, he just needed to wait for Hine-nui-te-pō to guide his spirit through to the underworld. 

He looked around, noting he was in a forest that reminded him of home. He made his way through the forest, the willowherbs and buttercup flowers brushed against his ankles as he walked forward through the forest, the wind rustling the tree leaves. 

_ “Whakatūtata~” _

As he walked on, he heard a voice carry past him in the wind. His brows went up, noticing it sounded...very familiar. It beckoned him closer, and without noticing, he sped up his own footsteps, taking note how the deeper he went, the darker the world around him became. 

The sun was becoming eclipsed, the flowers began to wither underneath his feet, the air, once fragrant and sweet, became stagnant.

_ “Whakatūtata, Jongho. Come closer. Faster. Come here.” _

Jongho ran into a village once he cleared out of the forest, panting when he realized it was nearly identical to his home village. He looked around in concern, noting the lack of people around. 

This...was wrong. 

“Ah, so you made it. That saves me the time. I didn’t want to have to come looking for you.” 

He looked up, noticing a man with his back turned towards him, his hair secured up with a wooden comb, black feathers framing the high bun on his head as he turned, looking at Jongho, a smile tugging at his lips. 

Surprise crossed Jongho’s face, followed by realization, as he stared at the mirror image of himself, feeling his breath catch for a moment. 

Hongjoong had…?

“I never imagined the small captain would come across someone from Aotearoa, and yet here we are. And the one that helped that woman get away all those years ago, no less. I love it when things come full circle.” He laughed, the sound booming as he looked at Jongho. The warrior pursed his lips, noting the dark tā moko adorning his face and legs, all the way down to his ankles. 

He looked like him, but they weren’t identical. 

“I know who you are.” Jongho walked up to the entity, standing beside him, his heart thundering in his chest as he stared into deep crimson eyes. The man arched a brow before he moved, slowly circling around Jongho. The gunner didn’t flinch, keeping his body on alert as the doppelganger slowly circled around him. 

“Oh? Then who am I? Hm? Say my name.”

In an instant, the doppelganger appeared in front of him, grabbing his cheeks tight. Jongho slapped his hands away and recoiled, growling audibly. 

“Whiro. Or at least, part of him. Because you lost against Hyuna.”

“SHE CHEATED!” He barked into Jongho’s face, but the man didn’t finch, narrowing his gaze at him. Whiro took notice of this and laughed, tucking his hands behind his head as he moved to put some distance between them, a swagger in his step. 

“So. Since I’m stuck in this body now, let’s do this the traditional way, hm? You versus me.” He offered, changing the subject. Jongho pursed his lips, watching as Whiro held his hand up, an array of weapons appearing around them. 

“Naturally, a battle to the death. Choose your weapon wisely. Whoever survives gets full control.” 

Instantly, he thought about what he and Yunho went over and his jaw set. 

So. It was his turn to face ‘himself’, was it?

Jongho looked at the weapons before he shook his head, brushing his hand over his hip, relieved to feel the smooth greenstone of Mateo’s mere pounamu situated on his hip. He motioned to the weapon, looking at Whiro with determination crossing his face. 

The fragmented god smirked. 

“All of these weapons and you choose someone else’s? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to add someone’s mana to your own like that?” He taunted, waving his hand nonchalantly. The weapons disappeared and planted his feet more firmly into the dirt, red eyes gleaming as he stared Jongho down. 

“Have it your way.”

Jongho did the same, a shout leaving his his lips as he squared his shoulders. 

“A haka? Just for little old me? Show me what you got, it will be the last one you ever do.” he grinned, motioning for Jongho to go on. Jongho’s eyes narrowed, but he ignored the dismissive tone, slapping his left pectoral as he stomped his foot, the sound and light sting getting his blood flowing.

If Hongjoong was going to give him another chance, to break his promise with San, he wouldn’t be losing this fight. 

Not this time.

“Ka mate! Ka mate!” He barked, flexing his muscles as he moved, shifting his arms to the left, part of him remembering all the times he and Mateo would practice together to impress their fathers as they learned the haka before the other young warriors. 

He missed him. He couldn’t let him down. 

“Ka ora Ka ora! Ka mate Ka mate!” He stuck his tongue out, his eyes never leaving Whiro’s smug expression as he performed, his emotion bleeding into his expression. Years of build up anger and the desperate need to prove himself, of all the regrets, the sorrow, all of it bled into his movements as he paused before chanting louder, all of the raw emotion in his body on his face as he stepped closer, closing in on Whiro. 

“Ka ora Ka ora!”

He got in the doppelgangers face, panting like a wild boar before he continued once Whiro cocked a brow at him.

“Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru!

Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra!”

The mention of the sun rising made Whiro’s brow tick in annoyance, but Jongho continued, showing the whites of his eyes as he slapped his thighs, his vocals strong.

“Upane Upane!

Upane Kaupane!”

In a flash, Jongho pulled the mere pounamu against Whiro’s throat, his tongue out as he shook the end of the weapon against him, the last of his haka carrying off strong as he stood directly before the darkness now inside of him. 

“Whiti te ra!”

Whiro rolled his shoulders, clapping once before he stepped two feet back. 

“Impressive. Now, let’s begin.” 

In hindsight, Jongho maybe should’ve expected the dark deity to pull something dirty on him. 

The moment he finished speaking, a shadow wrapped around Jongho’s leg, tossing him roughly to the ground before striking him hard in the chest, enough to knock the wind out of him. He wheezed and Whiro whistled, summoning a wahaika in his left hand. He ran his fingers over the weapon, smiling coyly at the way Jongho cursed in his native tongue, looking at him in sheer rage. 

“What? Did you expect a fair shot? Laughable.” Whiro taunted before another shadow wrapped around Jongho’s wrist. He snarled and wrapped his hand around the tendril, pulling roughly on it and making Whiro stumble forward. 

As he mistepped, Jongho lunged forward, swinging the mere at Whiro’s ribs. 

He hissed and lowered his wahaika, catching the tip of the mere in the notch at the back of the weapon. He snatched his hand up, growling when he realized the weapon was secured against Jongho’s wrist. 

Instead, he slammed his fist into Jongho’s abdomen, cursing when the man retaliated with a sharp headbutt, ignoring the splitting pain in lieu of backing away from Whiro. He didn’t care for the blood running between his eyes, swinging upwards as Whiro reeled. The entity snarled, turning and striking Jongho in the thigh, smiling at the pained cry that left the man’s throat. 

“I’ll give it to you. You’re skilled. But it’s not enough, is it? It never is with you, is it?” He taunted, stepping forward to strike him with the end of the whalebone club, hitting him in the gut before he could react. Jongho coughed, feeling bile rise from the hard strike to his abdomen. 

He forced it back down, putting a bit of distance between him and Whiro. 

As expected, the entity didn’t give him a moment to rest, lunging forward to swing wildly, noticing he had struck a nerve with his comment. 

Psychological warfare? He could do that, too. 

“Mateo died right before your eyes, all because you were too lazy to be there for him. You spent years blindly seeking out some form of retribution, when it turns out that was a failure, as well. Now here you are, on the brink of death, clinging onto some sense of hope that you can redeem all that you’ve fucked up in the past, but that’s now how it’s going down this time, is it, _ little bear _?” He mocked, his nose curling up at the nickname. Jongho snarled and swung for his jaw, and Whiro hooked his weapon once more. This time, he snatched hard, making the man stumble. 

He flicked his wrist and brought the butt end of the club down against Jongho’s abdomen once more, smiling at the way the man lurched. 

“Just give in to me. You’ve never won anything important in your life when it really came down to it, always too little too late. This is no different.” He snarled, slamming the club down once more on Jongho’s shoulder, grinning wildly at the pop, followed by his loud bark of pain. Whiro watched tears spring to his eyes, grabbing his now dislocated shoulder, shuffling back quickly, his heart thundering in his chest. 

Whiro laughed loudly and stalked closer to him, the shadows coming back with a vengeance as they wrapped around his arms and legs, leaving him prone as Whiro approached. Jongho struggled against the bindings, his heart hammering as he looked up, the blood from his forehead now running into his eyes.

He panted and huffed, his hair falling out of it’s bun as Whiro pulled his head back by the hair. He smirked at him, looking down at the bloodied form of ‘himself’.

“Look at that. Out of us eight, I’m the one that finally won.” He jeered, whistling at the way Jongho struggled in the bindings, ignoring the flaring pain in his shoulder as he tried to strike the doppelganger any way he could.

“Still got some fight in you? Fascinating. Amazing. All I can say is I’m glad I got such an able bodied warrior, as opposed to one of the weaker pirates. A shame for you, really. But hey, once you’re dead, you don’t have to worry about losing _ ever _ again. You can disappear forever.”

He held Jongho’s hair in his fist, raising the wahaika, a wicked glint in his eyes as he brought it down swiftly, aiming for the temple.

_ \- _ ** _Ka mate Ka mate!_ **

** _Ka ora Ka ora!_ **

** _Ka mate Ka mate!_ **

** _Ka ora Ka ora!_ ** _ \- _

_ Jongho opened his eyes, looking out to find he could see the cave he was in before. He looked around finding San had left his side, a scythe made out of blood in his hands as he swung it wildly at the drake, tears running down his face as he chanted in Māori. Wooyoung inhaled deeply, screaming the haka despite the raw emotions in his cracking voice, the blades flying full speed at the drake. It roared and staggered before flying towards them. _

_ \- _ ** _Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru!_ **

** _Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra!_ ** _ \- _

_ Yunho was hovering over him, his hands shaking ever so slightly as he rubbed a salve on Jongho’s abdomen, chanting under his breath while Seonghwa stood over them, his eyes glowing as he summoned a snow storm, the drop in temperature making the wyverns fly slower. Once they slowed, he sent a barrage of ice blades towards them, rage in his eyes as he spoke, the _ _ Māori _ _ flowing from his lips just as smoothly as every other language he’s ever spoken. Elegant, strong. _

_ \- _ ** _Upane Upane!_ **

** _Upane Kaupane!_ ** _ \- _

_ Yeosang’s eyes twinkled as he lit the opposite side on fire, his fist clenching as the fire grew. Mingi chanted with him, using the oxygen from his wind to strengthen and blow the fire onto the wyverns they had pinned against the wall. _

_ \- _ ** _Whiti te ra!_ ** _ \- _

_ Scales littered Hongjoong’s left arm, dotting all over his neck and covering his face as he snarled at the thunder drake. It turned and rushed towards him full speed, the charoite sparking with electricity. Hongjoong didn’t seem to care, walking closer, the rage practically rolling off him in waves. _

_ A few wyverns rushed at him, but he rose his hand, water dragons consumed them, swirling them around, to drown them as he kept his gaze on the drake. _

_ It lunged for him, the spikes shining while the scales began to stretch to appear on the other side of Hongjoong’s face. _

-x-

A shadow wrapped around Whiro’s wrist, yanking sharply to the left. His eyes grew as he tried to twist his wrist free, when he noticed another wrapping around his throat, yanking him back. Jongho huffed, stepping closer as he held his shoulder. He switched the mere into his other hand, swinging hard and striking Whiro in the jaw. 

He barked in pain, trying to pull at the shadows, his brows going up in confusion in rage at the fact that they wouldn’t bend to his will anymore. 

“No! No, this is impossible!” He snarled, trying to yank the shadows back. They didn’t budge, and instead, the one around his neck tightened. He huffed, snorting wildly as he stared at Jongho, his lips curling into a sneer. Jongho looked at his hand before he let a small smile curl to his face, nodding his head to the left. 

The shadows moved to his will, slamming down the doppleganger.. Jongho stepped on his chest, looking down at the man writing on the ground, staring up at him in disdain. He thrashed wildly, but coughed when Jongho lifted his foot, planting it down harder over his chest and knocking the wind out of his chest. 

“There can’t be two of us. I guess you’ve finally won something, hm?” He sneered. Jongho looked down at him, raising his good hand. Shadows sharpened around him and Whiro heaved, staring up wildly at Jongho. 

“Do it! Do it then!” He goaded, laughing. 

Jongho flicked his hand, and the shadows plummeted down.

-x-

Hongjoong was slightly winded as the drake, now injured and enraged, charged at him. The others had started to thin out the horde and clear the air, but the drake’s enraged state gave it a second wind and it began to attack indiscriminately. 

It swiped at his back, knocking him away, sending him crashing through the stalagmite just to his left. He rolled to his back, half of his right eye turning to a gleaming jade color as he looked up at the drake. 

**‘Where do we go from here Captain, I wonder?’**

The drake began to charge its stones, but a thick black tandril wrapped around its maw before it was yanked back unceremoniously. The captain looked up in surprise, his eyes immediately going over to Yunho. 

He noticed Jongho was no longer on his back, now standing beside the surprised doctor. His eyes were a deep scarlet color, and the pirates all noticed the tā moko on his face and arms as he pulled off the tattered remains of his shirt, breathing harshly through his nose. 

The drake rolled to its feet, it’s wings badly damaged from the toss. It set its sights on the gunner and began charging once more. 

Jongho rolled his shoulders before letting out a sharp yell, the tā moko around his arms detaching and extending into a large shadowy figure, towering over him. 

“**I still can’t believe you all haven’t killed this damn thing yet.” **it grunted.

“Less lip, more killing it.” Jongho snapped at the shadow, planting his foot down hard and throwing a punch as the drake lunged for him. 

The shadow, as if a true extension of himself, punched right through the drake’s chest. It let out a pained whine, wheezing weakly before it finally stilled.

Jongho shook his fist out, the shadow retreating back into the tā moko on his arms. Yunho perked at the sound of the second voice, his lips parting in surprise. 

Wooyoung and San rushed to his side instantly, keeping a respectable distance from him as he staggered slightly. He smiled tiredly, looking at all of the men as they rushed to his side. He looked around them, waving ever so slightly at them.

“I...I heard your haka. Pronunciation could use a little work, but it was really...moving. It saved me, honestly.” He ran a hand through his hair, looking between San and Hongjoong. Neither of them could look him in the eyes, but he laughed lightly and stepped closer, pulling them into a strong hug, catching both men off guard. They hesitantly put their hands on his back, looking at the youngest of their crew. 

Right there, standing up, their gunner passed out, the exhaustion finally taking over his body from his transformation. 

In the corner, Hyuna groaned, lifting her head and rubbing her side as she looked at the drake. She pursed her lips before shaking her head, gently taking Dawn’s hand as he picked her up. 

“Ah...it’s dead. Unfortunate. But that’s part of the adventure, huh?” She beamed. Dawn sent her a flat look before sighing, hugging her close to his body.

“Of course it is.”

-x-

The gentle fire covered Wooyoung, changing him to the form of Mateo. He exhaled and looked up at Jongho, watching as the young man exhaled shakily, rubbing his arm as the form of the navigator changed into that of Mateo. He stood before Jongho, biting his lip as he looked at him. 

Jongho bit his lip so hard it hurt before he made eye contact with the lightly glowing form of Mateo. Yeosang watched them anxiously, his ears twitching back and forth as he watched them. Part of him was still worried this wasn’t a good idea, that Hongjoong would catch them-catch _ him _-using his illusions to bring up forms of those already departed and he’d get in trouble-

“Mateo...Kia ora.” Jongho breathed after a moment, stepping closer until he was in Mateo’s space. Yeosang felt another strange sense of anxiety fill him. Should he make the illusion talk? Should he stay silent?

To their surprise, Wooyoung opened his mouth, and the voice that left his lips was not his own. 

“Kia ora, teina.” He breathed, reaching out to touch Jongho’s arms. The man tensed immediately before he grabbed onto Mateo’s, pressing their foreheads together without hesitation for a hongi. 

The illusion didn’t burn him like Yeosang thought, and the kitsune watched in wonder as the two closed their eyes, breathing in deeply, the greeting intimate and personal. San stood quietly beside him. His shoulders relaxed as he watched Wooyoung-now Mateo-gently rubbed Jongho’s arms with his thumbs

Jongho was shaking, gently pulling away to look Mateo in the eyes, biting his lip as he scanned his face. 

“I…I’m so sorry.” He whispered, his raspy voice raw with emotion as he looked away. Mateo dipped his head down, catching his attention and making him look at him once more. Jongho’s grip on his forearms tightened slightly, his palms sweaty as he swallowed thickly. 

“Sorry for what?” Mateo inquired, arching a brow at him. His face was neutral as he waited for a response. Jongho’s heart thundered in his chest as he swallowed thickly. 

“It’s been years. It’s been years since you were killed and I...I haven’t cried. Not a single tear for you. I...I am an awful person. You are one of the most important people to me and I...What’s wrong with me? W-why-”

“You didn’t cry to Mama or Papa, hm? Is it because you didn’t want them to worry? It would worry them more that you didn’t let it out. You’ve been holding onto that burden for that long, Jongho?” He inquired. 

Jongho shook slightly, his brows pinching up as he looked away. Mateo shook his head. 

“Look at me. I’m here now. This is the time to tell me all you couldn’t before.” He whispered. 

Jongho turned back to him, his breathing coming out more labored as he shook. Yeosang frowned and pushed himself off of the counter he was leaning against, noticing the way the youngest was trembling. He was about to drop the illusion when Mateo raised a hand, shaking his finger quickly. 

“Don’t, Yeo...just…let him do this. He needs to do this.” 

Yeosang’s ears flattened, but he nodded and shuffled back, biting his thumbnail. 

As the four men stood in the galley, two shadows leaned against the wall near the door. To the left, Hongjoong, the right, Seonghwa. The two older immortals exchanged a look, having a silent conversation with their eyes alone. Hongjoong had explicitly told Yeosang _ not _ to go and conjure up illusions of the dead, and Seonghwa half expected the captain to be angry. 

Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, listening intently. Seonghwa watched his face before he quietly turned his gaze back into the galley. If Hongjoong wasn’t gonna step in and stop them, he wouldn’t either. 

In the galley, Jongho shook as he swallowed thickly, looking Mateo in the eyes. 

“You...you must have been so afraid. You weren’t responding when I carried you... They might not have gotten to you if I had just...gotten up on time...always 5 more minutes, always sleeping in...I’m so fucking stupid. I did this, I-”

“Jongho, it’s okay to cry. You don’t have to hold it all down.”

Jongho hiccuped and Mateo’s gaze softened as the younger man broke down, pulling him in for a full hug, shaking as he cried into Mateo’s warm shoulder, holding him close. 

“I miss you. _ Fuck _ , I miss you. I should have been awake, I should have been there. All of this I’ve done after the fact and _ none _ of it will bring you back. I had them carve your story into me, your memories, and it hurts, Teo. It hurts so much, because you can’t see them. Your story is over and...and... _ its all my fault. _” he sobbed, his voice raw as he gripped his shirt. Mateo pursed his lips together, but let the smaller man continue.

“I don’t deserve this tā moko, Teo. I’ve done nothing to earn it. Nothing to honor you. It’s all a goddamn lie. I even left...right when everyone was looking to me to take your place, I left and became...whatever it is I am now. I’m no honorable warrior. I’m just as bad as Nikau.” his hands fell to his side weakly as he cried harder, the years of pent up emotion crashing over him like a tidal wave, shoving him under the current, tossing his body around left and right. 

He was drowning in it, and it was all his fault. 

Mateo took a breath before he smiled, cupping Jongho’s face and tilting his head. 

“Jongho. Look at me.”

The younger man refused, but Mateo lifted his head, smiling at him despite the broken look on his face as he searched his eyes. He cupped his cheeks before putting their heads together. 

“I’m proud of you. I may be gone, but you’ve lived on to be a fine warrior. Don’t look at me like that, I mean it. You’re a wonderful warrior. I couldn’t be more proud of you. Not only did you avenge me, you brought two tribes together. That’s more than I could have fathomed. You’ve broken every expectation anyone’s had for you. Every single one. I’m so proud of you, Jongho. You’ve earned your tā moko, every line, every piece of story.” he hummed before rocking the man as he cried against his shoulder once more. 

“You’ve earned that. And you’ve kept my memory along with your story. You never forgot me, with _ our _tā moko on you, you keep a piece of me along with you. Thank you, Jongho.”

Seonghwa glanced at Hongjoong, watching as the captain’s fist clenched and unclenched around the fabric of his jacket, his brow creased as he tried not to go in and intervene. He knew it was Wooyoung saying these things instead of them somehow grabbing Mateo’s actual spirit and part of the situation made him feel..dirty. 

But this wasn’t about him.

Jongho…needed this. 

“You’ve become a great warrior. You make me and the rest of the tribe proud. That mere pounamu in your belt is mine, isn’t it?” he inquired payfully, pointing to the handle. Jongho looked down at the jade colored weapon tucked into his pants. Jongho followed his finger and nodded, almost bashfully as the man smiled. 

“I know I don’t deserve-”

“You deserve much more. I’m glad it was mine that you decided to keep. My family always held incredible mana and that it was one of the most tapu items in the entire village. Now it is in your hands, and I have good faith that you will use it well and continue to honor me. My mana is yours now, teina. You live for both of us now. Try to remember that and don’t be so hard on yourself.” He hummed, running a hand through Jongho’s slightly damp hair. Jongho closed his eyes, the last tear slipping from his eye as he let a smile grace his face. 

“I...I’ll try.” He straightened his back and Mateo smiled and fixed a wayward hair on his bruette head. 

“I have to go soon. Are you ready?” He inquired. Jongho’s grip on his arms tightened for a moment, and he looked like he was close to protesting. Hongjoong opened his eyes and turned to glance into the room, his lips pursed as he watched. 

He would have to step in if the gunner didn’t let go of the illusion, and as much as that may hurt, he didn’t want Jongho relying on it to-

“I’m ready.”

The captain blinked, his lips parting in surprise as he watched Jongho pull away from the hug enough to put their foreheads together, tears slipping down his tan face as he breathed deep for another hongi, a smile on his lips. 

“Rest well, kauaemua.” He whispered, his voice holding that raw edge once more. Mateo nodded and rubbed their noses together gently, kneading Jongho’s shoulders to comfort him as the gentle fox fire around his form flickered, fading slowly. 

Jongho kept his eyes closed, unable to watch his best friend fade before his eyes. 

He was strong, but even that was a bit much for him. 

“Stay healthy, Jongho. Ka kite ano.”

Jongho sucked in a sharp breath.

“Ka kite ano, Mateo. Ka...kite ano.”

He stayed there for a pregnant pause, and he could feel the person in front of him grow a few inches smaller, the warmth of the fox fire fading into a normal body temperature. 

Jongho let out a shuddering sigh and opened his eyes after five minutes, his tired brown eyes finding Wooyoung’s slightly concerned ones. Jongho smiled and kept their heads together.

“Kia ora.”

Wooyoung exhaled gently and tilted his head. 

“Hello to you, too.” he responded before taking in the man’s tired smile.

“Jongho? Are you...are you okay?” He whispered, a tender tone to his voice as he cupped the man’s cheek. Jongho let out a small laugh and put his hand over Wooyoung’s, biting his lip as he stared at him with bloodshot eyes. 

“I feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders.” he ran his thumb over Wooyoung’s knuckles, his hand much more calloused than the smaller pirate’s. Wooyoung smiled before he realized how close they still were. 

“Ah, I’m sorry. I should give you your space now-”

Jongho’s grip tightened on his hand, shaking his head ever so slightly.

“It’s alright. It’s you. I trust you. And you, Yeo. Thank you for humoring me.” He whispered, gently pulling away, but not nearly as much as he had done previously. 

Yeosang exhaled a breath he had been holding, his ears still standing high atop his head as he approached them. 

“Oh thank the gods, I was worried. I was really surprised at the voice, I didn’t realize my illusions were so attuned to someone’s mental state.” He murmured, holding up a hankerchief for the younger man. Jongho took it from him and wiped his eyes, looking worn out. 

“I haven’t cried in years. It...took a lot out of me.” He laughed tiredly, looking over at San as he stayed back behind the other two. He gently broke away from Wooyoung to walk over to the other Sailing Master, bowing his head. 

“I’m sorry, for everything. For hurting Wooyoung, for making you and the others uncomfortable. I’m sorry. I’ll work hard from now on to make sure I-”

San reached up and squished his cheeks with one hand, making the taller man blink in surprise. He hummed, laughing lightly before he tilted his head.

“You work too hard. You don’t have to make sure of anything anymore. You’ve made peace with Mateo, haven’t you?” He inquired, arching a brow. Jongho nodded slightly and San let his cheeks go, stuffing his hands in his pocket. 

“Then you’re okay. We’re okay.” 

-x-

  
  
  
  
  
  


  
  


“Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes.”

Hongjoong stopped in front of him, lips pursed as he ran a hand up Jongho’s shoulder, cupping the back of his neck to pull him down, their lips mere centimeters apart as the small captain looked him in the eyes. Jongho tensed for a moment before he felt another hand-San’s-running over his hips. 

“Do you feel safe?”

“I know you won’t hurt me.”

“I know you know that. But that wasn’t my question. Do you feel safe?” He asked once more. Jongho nodded after a pause. Hongjoong shook his head. 

“Say it. I need to hear you say it.”

“I feel safe, captain.”

Jongho sent him a pleading look and Hongjoong pressed their lips together, closing his eyes only after the gunner relaxed enough to do so first. 

Hongjoong didn’t rush, gently molding their lips together as San continued to run his hands up and down his shoulders. His fingers danced over the scar over Jongho’s shoulder before he brushed his lips against the scar. 

The younger man gasped, a small sound close to a whimper leaving lips. 

“San, do it again.” Hongjoong instructed, reaching down to run his hands over Jongho’s scarred abdomen. Jongho shuddered and San kissed the scar more firmly, smiling as the maori man’s knees buckled. 

“Jongho, we’re going to take your pants off.” 

Jongho blushed at the formality, but nodded, watching as San’s hands came around, unzipping his pants before pushing them down, brushing his lips over his neck. His trousers fell to the floor, pooling at his ankles as Hongjoong’s half lidded eyes ran down, humming in appreciation at Jongho’s full form. 

“You really are a work of art.”

Jongho’s face ignited as Hongjoong kissed down his neck, running his teeth and tongue over scars and the tā moko on Jongho’s pectoral that stretched to his left arm. The man didn’t have any response other than a sharp inhale as Hongjoong lightly dragged his teeth over his nipple. San ran his hand over the compass mark decorating his hip before he turned Jongho around to face him, cupping his cheek and kissing him slowly while Hongjoong wrapped his arms around him loosely. 

Predictably, he tensed at first, the alarm bells-and Whiro’s sneery voice-telling him this was dangerous, that he was caged in and...and…

And San was gently massaging his cheeks, pressing his thigh against Jongho’s legs, smiling against his lips as he rolled his hips down. A sharp gasp left Jongho's lips as he put his weight against Hongjoong’s chest, rolling his hips back and forth as San flexed his thigh. 

“Is this the first time you’ve done something like this?” He inquired, tilting his head as Jongho exhaled shakily, clearly desperate for more friction. His brows pinched together as he nodded, embarrassed at the admission of inexperience. He tried to draw attention away from his flushed face by looking over at Hongjoong as the Captain turned his head, pressing his lips against his once more. 

When he broke the kiss, the older pirate took some time to study his face, smiling fondly.

“Are you still okay?”

“Yes-_ ohfuck! _” Jongho groaned as the heat of San’s mouth circled around his cock. 

In the time he was focused on Hongjoong’s kiss, San fell to his knees, pulling his hips forward. Hongjoong cupped his ass, humming as he watched Jongho hesitantly thrust in and out of San’s mouth. San ran his fingers over the black lines of the tā moko on his thighs, his lips stretched around his dick as he looked up at him through his lashes.

“We’ve been so hard on you. Let us take care of you.” 

  
  


Jongho tensed, his eyes closed as he felt the weight of Hongjoong as he pressed into him. His mouth fell open, the stretch lighting his body on fire as the motion made his aching cock rub against the sheets. 

“You’re doing so well, meu ursinho. Look at us.” he could hear Seonghwa’s voice before he reached for his chin, lifting his face up. 

The cool chill of his fingers contrasted against his heated skin as Hongjoong slowly moved behind him, sliding his cock out of him almost entirely before thrusting back in, setting a pace with deep, slow thrusts.

Part of him felt panic, he was caged, he couldn’t run-

Another, larger part of him felt...safe. Secure.

With a shaking hand, he grabbed Hongjoong’s arm, bowing his head down in Seonghwa’s hand as he shyly rolled his hips back, a shaking pant leaving his lips as once again, his cock rubbed against the sheets. He had a fleeting concern about the precum drooling from his cock ruining them, but it was banished from his mind as soon as Hongjoong snapped his hips up to meet his ass. 

“You’re doing so well, Jongie. Does the captain feel good?” Wooyoung’s voice coos like a melody in his ear from the other side of the room as San trails biting kisses down his neck, watching them. From the sound of it, the two were already in the middle of their own love making, and Jongho responded in his native tongue before he let out a shaking sigh. 

“_ Gods _ yes...Please…”

Hongjoong tested the waters and rocked faster, his bangs falling to tickle the space between Jongho’s shoulder blades as he lowered his own head, moaning hotly against his skin. The slick sound of Hongjoong rocking faster into him, mixed with the smell of coconut made him feel dizzy, a feeling of heat blooming in his chest as Seonghwa cupped his cheeks, gently brushing his thumbs over them before pressing a cool kiss to his lips. 

With the way he whimpered, even Jongho didn’t recognize his own voice as Hongjoong’s cock brushed against something inside of him, the sound being drowned out into Seonghwa’s kiss as the First Mate ran a hand into his hair. 

Jongho half expected him to pull, instead, he only got gentle combing through his scalp as his body began to shake, his lips trembling as the bed creaked in protest from the eager way he moved his hips back, his ass jiggling every time it met with Hongjoong’s hips. 

“You look so beautiful.” Hongjoong whispered, his voice seemingly far away as he ran his thumbs over the tā moko over his toned rear before he spread his cheeks lewdly, biting his lip at the sight of Jongho’s hole eagerly swallowing his cock with every thrust. 

“So fucking beautiful, baby bear.” 

Before he realized what was happening, he had Seonghwa lifting his face once more, wiping the tears from his cheeks he didn’t even realize had begun to fall as he groaned and arched his back. 

“Meu ursinho, why do you cry? Does it hurt? Do you want the Captain to stop?” Seonghwa inquired. Jongho closed his eyes and shook his head, holding onto Hongjoong’s arm with his right hand and Seonghwa’s thigh with his right like the two older men were the only ones keeping him grounded. 

“N-no...please don’t stop-”

“Why do you cry, then?”

“Because I feel _ safe _.”

The raw emotion in his voice made Hongjoong’s hips stutter behind him as Jongho pulled himself up, pressing a firm kiss to Seonghwa’s lips as Hongjoong grabbed his hips, trailing hot kisses across his shoulder blades. 

“W-wait-” Wooyoung’s voice cut through the haze and Hongjoong stilled behind him, panting to regain his composure as Wooyoung crawled over to them, gently taking Jongho’s face from Seonghwa’s hands. He stayed on his knees, and San got the clue after the younger man sent him a look over his shoulder. 

In moments, they maneuvered around, with San sliding back into Wooyoung as he cupped Jongho’s face, pressing a searing kiss to his lips as Hongjoong followed suit, the youngest men holding onto one another as the coil tightened in their abdomens once more. 

Seonghwa watched them fondly before reaching under them, wrapping a hand around both of their shafts, stroking them at a pace slightly faster than San and Hongjoong’s thrusts. Jongho bucked up, but Hongjoong placed a warm hand on his shoulder to keep him steady, sweat rolling down his brow as he focused on bringing Jongho to his release first. 

Out of the four of them, Wooyoung was first to fall over the edge, his head falling to Jongho’s shoulder as he cried out San’s name, clenching tight around him. The other Sailing Master came soon after, his grip on Wooyoung’s hips near bruising as he let out a low groan. 

Jongho watched the two men come undone before Hongjoong pulled him upwards, turning his face to kiss him as he wrapped his arms around the man’s stronger frame. 

There it was again, an embrace. 

Jongho closed his eyes, putting his hands over Hongjoong’s holding them tight against his body despite the thundering in his chest. He focused on the pleasure, on Hongjoong’s thrusts, the way he felt sliding in and out of him, the way he brushed _ just _ right against... _ whatever _ it was he kept hitting, the way Seonghwa’s thumb rolled over the crown of his cock-

The shaky cry that tore from his throat was powerful, and startled the slightly spent San and Wooyoung into full attention as the four older pirates watched Jongho cum, thick, pearl colored ropes landing over Seonghwa’s hand and on his pants leg as their gunner’s hips jolted. 

“Good job, ursinho. Let it out.” Seonghwa cooed while Hongjoong stilled behind Jongho, pressing himself deep inside of the taller pirate as he came. Keeping him wrapped up tight in his arms. 

The sound of pants filled the room as the men came down from their climax. A low chuckle pulled their attention to Seonghwa as he made a point to hold up his now messy hand. 

“You really were pent up. I imagine that was a bit overwhelming?” He teased, a full laugh leaving his chest when Jongho’s cheeks darkened. He looked away, ignoring the way San and Wooyoung laughed along. 

“I...I imagine most people’s first time isn’t...like this?”

“With sexy immortal pirates? No, I don’t imagine so.”

Woo yelped at the slap San placed onto his ass before Hongjoong moved to pull out of Jongho. 

“We should get cleaned up-”

Jongho’s hands tightened around him and he shook his head, muttering under his breath. The brunette captain tilted his head. 

“Baby Bear?”

“I _ said _, can we stay like this…? Just a little longer.” He muttered. Hongjoong’s gaze softened and he nodded, kissing the back of his neck before he looked up at his other three lovers. When his eyes fell on Seonghwa, he sent him a sympathetic look. 

“Hwa-”

“Don’t worry. I can handle myself. You’re all spent. I’ll take these three and we’ll shower first. Yeosang can melt my ice, so don’t rush to come wash up with us. Take as much time as you need.” he kissed Hongjoong deeply before looking down at Jongho, smiling at the way the maori man leaned up for his own kiss. 

The First Mate complied, kissing him gently as well before Wooyoung and then San followed his lead. 

San lingered a bit longer against Jongho’s lips before he pressed their heads together. 

“I’m sorry for all the months you had to put up with me.” He muttered. Jongho shook his head, sending him a smile as he reached up to squish San’s cheeks with one hand. 

“We both have been absolute menaces to each other. Don’t apologize anymore. I won’t either, okay? I’d say we’ve redeemed ourselves.” he smiled, his voice holding it’s familiar arid tone. San puffed his lips out, but sent him a smile shortly thereafter, moving to follow Wooyoung and Seonghwa out of the door after collecting their clothes. 

When the door closed, Jongho closed his eyes, pressing his head to Hongjoong’s shoulder as the captain held him, still deep inside of him. 

Hongjoong didn’t say a word as he ran his thumb over the raised tā moko on Jongho’s arm, his eyes half lidded as he watched the shadows shift ever so slightly.

Goosebumps rose on his skin as Jongho turned to face him, their noses brushing up against each other. Hongjoong stared back at him before pressing a small kiss to his nose. Jongho’s nose scrunched as he smiled before he looked down to the captain’s arms around him. 

“No one has been able to hold onto me for this long for years.”

“Mmm.”

“I...I still feel short of breath when I’m embraced. Like something bad could happen, like my back is exposed and it’s only a matter of time before someone takes advantage of the fact that I let my guard down.” He continued. Hongjoong didn’t say a word, but he made a small noise in his throat to confirm for Jongho that he was still listening attentively.

“But...at least, with you all, I feel safe enough to be held. At...at least sometimes. I don’t know if I will with others-”

“You don’t have to force yourself to be held when you don’t want to be held. Even if it’s with us close to you and you don’t want us to hold you or be so close, I understand. If you wake up tomorrow and don’t want me holding onto you for the day, I won’t take offence. Working through your trauma...isn’t easy. Yeosang still gets in his own head when we leave him alone from time to time, and we all have to force Mingi not to insult himself when he messes up during his studies. Just remember something,” Hongjoong moved their joined hands up to Jongho’s heart. 

“Your trauma doesn’t make you who you are. You’re not weak for having moments where you just...can’t take it. We understand you better now. We’d never push you.” he reassured him and Jongho inhaled sharply before settling back down. 

“I think I love you. All of you.”

Hongjoong settled his chin on his shoulder, laughing in his ear. The sound made Jongho’s heart skip.

“I think we love you, too. All of you, Jongho.”

The two of them finally separated when Seonghwa came back with Mingi piggybacking a sleepy San while the First Mate did the same with Wooyoung. The two Sailing Masters were set in their bed once Hongjoong changed their sheets. 

Jongho covered both of them in shadows as they rushed down into the lower level of the ship to shower. Yeosang greeted them sleepily as they joined, humming as Yunho let him lean on him as he gently wove together a bracelet of flowers. 

“Yeo, we’ll be quick. Sorry for waking you up, baby.” Hongjoong mused, noticing the smaller of their two ex princes looked close to dozing off against Yunho. The surgeon in question laughed lightly and waved them off. 

“Don’t worry, Cap’n. This was needed. Very much so.” He told them, sending Jongho a smile as the younger man shifted from foot to foot. He rolled the bracelet onto Yeosang’s wrist as the kitsune cook waved a hand, starting a fire above them to warm Hongjoong’s water as he made it shower down on both of them. 

  
“Don’t be embarrassed now, it’s not like I’ve never seen you naked before.” 

Jongho felt heat rise to his cheeks as Yeosang gave him a sleepy once over, his lips pulling up into a smile. 

“T-That’s different.” The youngest huffed, grabbing a fresh cloth they kept near the bathing area and turning to hide his flustered cheeks. 

“You’re right. I would’ve loved to see your face while Cap’n Joong takes care of you, but alas.” 

Jongho turned on a dime, letting out an embarrassed explicative in Maori before he hurled the bar of soap at Yunho, huffing when a vine caught it effortlessly. Yeosang laughed from beside the tallest man and Hongjoong shook his head, wiggling a finger so a small spout of water hit the surgeon in the face. 

“Don’t tease him, Yunho. He’s already sleepy.” He scolded. Yunho raised his hands in surrender, smiling from ear to ear as the two went back to washing. 

They wrapped quickly, with the water going cold after Yeosang fell asleep, the plume of gentle fire fading away. Yunho picked Yeosang up and nodded to the other two.

“We’ll head to bed now. See you two in the morning.” He saluted with two fingers and cradled Yeosang against his chest as he carried him to his quarters. Jongho nodded and followed Hongjoong out, noticing the maro Mingi had attempted to weave him. Yunho could only produce plants he was familiar with, so the material wasn’t quite like home, but it still made the man’s heart skip a beat knowing the two had tried to take all the stories he told them of his culture and make him something to remind him of home

“Seonghwa is going to complain again.” 

The words slipped out of his lips before he could stop himself, but Hongjoong let out a hearty laugh, pulling up the clean pair of trousers laid out for him. 

“You say this as if he-and everyone else-doesn’t enjoy looking at your tā moko, Jongho.” Hongjoong casually reminded him. Jongho slid the maro on, marveling at how similar it was to the one that had broken before. He had to make sure to thank them later on. 

As the two pirates emerged from below the deck, Jongho took notice of how clear the sky was. Hongjoong yawned from beside him, moving to make his way over to his quarters when Jongho reached for his wrist. 

“Wait. Can we look at the stars for a while?” He inquired. Hongjoong followed his gaze, looking at all of the twinkling stars, and nodded, following Jongho until the two men could lean against the taffrail, looking up at the sky. 

A gentle breeze swept their bangs across their foreheads as they enjoyed the silence. 

At some point, Jongho shifted until he was behind Hongjoong, wrapping his thick arms around his waist, locking him in place as he set his chin on his shoulder, rocking gently as they gazed at the stars. Seonghwa came out of the Sailing Master’s room, joining the two on the deck, crossing his arms. 

“It’s getting cold. You two should be getting inside. San and Wooyoung are already tucked in. It’s like 1 in the morning.” He scolded them lightly but Jongho shook his head, just enjoying the warmth coming from Hongjoong’s body. 

“We’ll get to bed, taku whaiāipo. Just...five more minutes?” 

Seonghwa hummed and leaned on the taffrail alongside them, looking up at the sky as Hongjoong spoke gently, rubbing the back of Jongho’s knuckles as he put his head against his shoulder. 

“Just five minutes? I think we can manage that.”   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta Moko-Maori traditional carvings into the skin, similar to tattoos  
Taiaha-Maori mid to long range weapon used for both attacking and defending. It had feathers at the end, used to distract enemies to catch them off guard and leave them open for attacks.  
Kahu Kuri- Dogskin and fur cloak worn to signify high status and rank.
> 
> He māhiti ki runga, he paepaeroa ki raro  
Koia nei te kākahu o te rangatira!  
A dog hair cloak on top, a fine cloak underneath  
These are the garments of a chief!
> 
> tohunga tā moko-expert ta moko carver  
tohunga whakairo- expert carver
> 
> hongi- maori greeting where two people press their foreheads and noses together and breathe deeply. also called the breath of life
> 
> ti rakau-a game for training warriors in which one person stands in the center of a circle and has sharpened sticks (rakau) thrown at them one at a time. they were to grab it and toss it back to someone else in the larger circle aroun them and go back and forth until someone dropped the rakau. this trained hand-eye coordination and speed
> 
> reiri-to be ready
> 
> timata- to begin
> 
> haka-a maori traditional dance of great importance. used to hype up warriors and also intimidate opponents, as well as being used to welcome someone, or send someone off funerals.
> 
> mere pounamu-a flat, club like weapon often made from whale bone or greenstone. the weapon was short range and used for close combat as a blunt strike-style weapon meant to disarm and immobolize limbs, therefore leaving the opponent vulnerable to attack.
> 
> wahaika- a club-like weapon made from wood and usually having intricate carvings allong it, along with a notch in the back of it that is used for disarming the weapons of opponents. 
> 
> kia ora- hello
> 
> ka kite ano- until i see you again/ goodbye 
> 
> tena koruna i tenei ahiahi-good afternoon/evening (said to two people)
> 
> Aotearoa-the maori name for New Zealand
> 
> maro-a maori garment for the lower half that covered one's privates. Often made from cloth, furs, or woven material, they are very similar to what some may call a loin cloth
> 
> teina- little brother (if being called it by an older male sibling)  
kauaemua- older brother (if being called it by a younger male sibling)
> 
> Ka mate Ka mate  
It is death It is death
> 
> Ka ora Ka ora  
It is life It is life  
Ka mate Ka mate  
It is death It is death
> 
> Ka ora Ka ora  
It is life It is life
> 
> Tenei Te Tangata Puhuruhuru  
This is the hairy man
> 
> Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra  
Who caused the sun to shine again for me
> 
> Upane Upane  
Up the ladder Up the ladder
> 
> Upane Kaupane  
Up to the top
> 
> Whiti te ra  
The sun shines!
> 
> sadece guzel-simply beautiful (turkish)  
amorzinho-sweetheart (portugese)  
(meu) ursinho-my little bear (portugese)
> 
> Whakatūtata-come closer  
Hine-nui-te-pō- Maori goddess of the night and shepherds of souls to the underworld


	8. Eighth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content TWs for:  
Graphic Violence and Blood  
Semi-Graphic Mentions of Injury  
Sexual Content  
Sexual TWs for:  
Choking, Bondage, Powers During Sex (Seonghwa, Yeosang, and Yunho), Concentacle Tentacles (Yunho, again. It's brief but yeah, lets go monsterfuckertiny *waves flag), Service Top, Gentle Bottom Domming, Light Degredation, Praise Kink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) Hi. Hello. It's ya girl, Fie. I've finally finished and I hope everyone likes what I have in store for this chapter. For all my detetctivetiny readers, I have some fun things for you in store. I will say, there will be an end note this time because theres a portion that has some flowers and its kind of important that you lovelies know what they mean. So for some of my non-detectivetiny, for once, I'll drop a bit more than breadcrumbs. For that part, anyway. 
> 
> As always, I'd like to self promo myself too, so please feel free to follow my  
[Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com)  
My new [Muse Blog](https://atiny-crew-musings.tumblr.com/) (you can ask the fic characters questions! People seem to adore Whiro and Boatswain Mingi the most hehe)  
and feel free to check out my tumblr masterlist with [Character Analyses](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com/post/190853611066/the-following-is-a-mlist-for-the-analyses-of-some=) that I'll continue working on alongside this work.  
Thank you for reading my author's notes, sorry for making them so long today, and please enjoy and review!

“Is it hot enough?”

“Working on it, I think it’s melting. I'll make it hotter.”

Wooyoung glanced around the corner of the makeshift room he had made. Sweat ran down his brow from the intense heat on the inside of the room, but he was more concerned with them finishing the project they had started.

“It’s melted, do you have the molds?” Yunho’s voice brought him back to the task at hand and Wooyoung stuck his head back into the room, nodding as he set some molds down. Yeosang held up his hand, his eyes shining and his tail swaying behind him as he tilted his hand, a molten substance dribbling from his palm and into the molds. 

Seonghwa chilled the room, to the delight of the others and Wooyoung sung gently, his eyes determined as he lightly cut into the item that was forming in the molds. He continued singing, smiling as a thin metal frame covered what was cooling from the once-molten substance. 

After an hour or so of careful molding and bending, Wooyoung held up the item he, Yunho, Yeosang, and Seonghwa had been working on for a few hours. 

A pair of circular rimmed glasses. 

Wooyoung admired his work, grinning as the other boys peeked over his shoulders and head. 

The rims had small, fine engravings into them, with designs Wooyoung had taken from one of Mingi’s favorite books. Tiny geometric designs adorned the top of the frame and along the legs of the glasses were small metallic vines, and right on the end piece, was a small name engraved in cursive. 

_ ‘Song Mingi ♡’ _

The men smiled cheerfully and Seonghwa passed him a decorative box he had picked up from the last port. Wooyoung gently set it in the box and lowered the makeshift room, yawning as he saw the run coming up. 

They had been at this project for hours, deciding to make Mingi a pair of glasses. The man had been struggling with some of the books he was trying to read, with the texts being much too small for him to see, leaving him squinting to see them better. They found out he was farsighted, and often sat at uncomfortable angles with books way too close to his face in order to read some of the novels he’d purchased. 

“I hope he likes it.” Yeosang muttered tiredly, kitsune ears twitching above his head as he yawned. Seonghwa inhaled deeply, blowing lightly. 

A cool breeze blew over them and the men relaxed instantly as the first mate nodded towards the cabins. 

“Let’s rest a bit. Mingi will love it.”

** -👓-**

“...."

"......"

A sniffle. 

"Oh honey, no-"

Wooyoung and the others held their hands up to try and console Mingi as he broke down crying, holding the box with his new glasses close to his chest. Hongjoong and Jongho rubbed his back lightly as he took the pair of glasses out with shaky hands 

The second tallest crew member cried, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he held the glasses delicately, admiring them through his blurry vision. 

"I c-can't see it well b-because I'm crying-"

"Amorzinho, please don't cry, it's okay." Seonghwa’s mature voice soothed Mingi as he pulled out a handkerchief, lightly wiping Mingi's eyes before he smiled softly, holding it up to his nose. 

The other pirates held back small giggles at the way Mingi delicately blew his nose, hiccuping as Seonghwa wiped the tears off his cheeks with cool, slightly chilled fingers. 

Having calmed down, Mingi took time to look over the glasses, a fond look on his reddened face. 

"It's so pretty." He mused, sliding them on his face. He beamed happily at the others and San whistled, smiling as he leaned against Yunho’s sturdy frame. 

"Looking good there, handsome."

Mingi blushed and lowered his head and Wooyoung bounced happily, bounding up to Mingi to press his lips to his cheek. 

"See? You look great! C'mon, you can come read the names of the towns on the mew map San and I drew up!" He tugged Mingi along, chattering a mile a minute as San joined them, tossing an arm over his shoulder casually. 

Mingi blushed and waved bye to the other crew members before he lowered his head, listening to Wooyoung talk about how they made the glasses. 

He fingered the legs of the glasses on his face, a smile tugging at his lips.

**-4 Hours Later-**

_ “I crave your mouth, your voice, your hair. _

_ Silent and starving, I prowl through the streets. _

_ Bread does not nourish me, dawn disrupts me, all day _

_ I hunt for the liquid measure of your steps. _

_ _

_ _

_ I hunger for your sleek laugh, _

_ your hands the color of a savage harvest, _

_ hunger for the pale stones of your fingernails, _

_ I want to eat your skin like a whole almond. _

_ _

_ _

_ I want to eat the sunbeam flaring in your lovely body, _

_ the sovereign nose of your arrogant face, _

_ I want to eat the fleeting shade of your lashes, _

_ _

_ _

_ and I pace around hungry, sniffing the twilight, _

_ hunting for you, for your hot heart, _

_ like a puma in the barrens of Quitratue.” _

There was a small silence before a small noise left Mingi’s throat. 

“Yeo?”

Yeosang looked up from the tea he was brewing, humming as he lifted the lid to the small sterling silver dome he’d placed on the table. He tilted his head at the perplexed look on Mingi’s face as he scanned the words on the page. 

“Yes, Mingi?”

“Did I do okay?”

Yeosang smiled and sat down beside him, holding his hand as Mingi looked away from him, shy. He still sometimes got self conscious asking the others for assistance when reading and writing. He was worried about asking ‘stupid’ questions or for some form of validation, but the other crew members were always quick to ease his worries, comforting him. 

“You did so good. You didn’t miss any words. I’m proud of you.” Yeosang kissed the back of his work-worn hands, motioning to the plate on the table. 

“Take a break, Mingi. Eat your cake and pears while they’re still warm. I made some blood orange tea from some spices, dried oranges, and rose hips. I put a little more sugar in the tea, so you gotta tell me if it tastes good with the cake and pears.” 

Mingi looked down at the tray, finding a few still-steaming pears. The smell of maple syrup and vanilla drifted up into his nose and he felt his mouth water slightly, glancing over at the small circular cake sitting near the baked pears. 

“It’s apple olive oil cake with some walnuts inside. I’ve never made it before, so please let me know how it tastes.” Yeosang requested, watching as Mingi lifted the fork to his lips, breaking off a piece of the syrupy pear and eating it first. His eyes lit up behind his glasses as he took a larger chunk of the baked fruit. 

“I take it you like it?” 

“You’re such an amazing cook, Yeo-yeo. I love eating your food.” Mingi chirped, taking a slice of the warm cake too. Yeosang watched him, a small blush to his cheeks as Mingi praised his food. As he sipped his tea, he glanced at the poem book in front of him. 

“Tell me about your book.” 

Mingi perked up and blushed as he looked at the book. 

“It’s a poem book. It has a lot of romantic poems in it...it’s pretty easy to read. Do you want to hear my favorite one?” He inquired shyly. Yeosang nodded, licking maple syrup off of his lips as he gave Mingi his undivided attention. 

Mingi shuffled and began reading, a bit slower than last time now that he knew Yeosang was anticipating the poem. 

_ “You came to the side of the bed _

_ and sat staring at me. _

_ Then you kissed me—I felt _

_ hot wax on my forehead. _

_ I wanted it to leave a mark: _

_ That's how I knew I loved you. _

_ Because I wanted to be burned, stamped, _

_ to have something in the end— _

_ I drew the gown over my head; _

_ a red flush covered my face and shoulders. _

_ It will run its course, the course of fire, _

_ setting a cold coin on the forehead, between the eyes. _

_ You lay beside me; your hand moved over my face _

_ as though you had felt it also— _

_ you must have known, then, how I wanted you. _

_ We will always know that, you and I. _

_ The proof will be my body.” _

Mingi shied and looked away as Yeosang tilted his head, his chin rested in his palm. 

“It’s a sensual one. That one is your favorite?” There was no judgemental edge in his voice, but Mingi’s face still went dark pink as he bit his lip, nodding once. Yeosang smiled and raised a piece of baked pear to his lips, his eyes half lidded and kind. 

“I’m so proud of you. You’ve been learning at such a quick pace, it’s amazing. Truly, you’re such a hard worker, Mingi. It’s inspiring.” 

Mingi’s bashfully bit into the warm fruit, his lips lightly brushing against the tips of Yeosang’s fingers. Yeosang lifted his gaze to him, humming comfortably at how close they were. 

The smell of apples, cinnamon, sugar, and pears bounced off of their breath as they stared into each other’s eyes. Mingi’s gaze flickered down to his lips before looking at his half lidded eyes. 

“I really like it when you guys praise me. Is that selfish?”

There was a small, unsure tone in his voice Yeosang knew well. He shook his head, his grey eyes full of love as he ran his thumb over Mingi’s lips. 

  
“It’s not selfish. Especially after what you went through with Bella, you still doubt yourself and your worth, even after being aboard with us for so long, right?” 

Mingi bit his lip, but Yeosang lightly pulled it free from his teeth, leaning even more into his space, his free hand resting on Mingi’s thick thigh. Mingi’s breath hitched.

“I don’t mean to I-”

“It’s okay, it still happens to me, too. But it’s okay.” 

Mingi watched him lean closer, his eyes falling half lidded to match his as the ex prince leaned in, rubbing his bottom lip in a way that made a shiver run down Mingi’s spine before he sealed the kiss. He let Yeosang control it, groaning lightly when the hand Yeosang had rested on his thigh began to squeeze and knead. 

Mingi ran his hand through dark brunette locks, pulling Yeosang closer to him. They didn’t break the kiss until they were both breathless, the taste of the sugary desserts leaving a lovely taste that lingered in their mouths as they stared at each other. Their lips shone with saliva as Yeosang began to speak, keeping themselves so close, Mingi could feel the warmth rolling off of his body.

“You’re so good, Mingi. Our hard working Song Mingi, someone we can always count on.” 

Mingi whimpered lightly and looked up at him in need, running his large hands down Yeosang’s cheek, down the back of his neck and spine, smiling at the small gasp and arch the cook let out from the touch. 

“I want to make you feel good. Can I?” 

Yeosang looked up at him, sighing in delight at the way Mingi tilted his head down to kiss and nibble at his jawline. He closed his eyes, lightly pulling at Mingi’s clothes as he licked and kissed his neck. 

“Please, Yeo. I can make you feel good. Will you let me?”

Yeosang could tell the underlying message behind those words from the near desperate look in Mingi’s eyes. 

_ ‘I can do it. Use me. Use me to feel good.’ _

Yeosang cupped his cheek and nodded, pulling him down for another searing kiss. 

A few minutes of awkward fumbling, a quick, very obvious run to Yunho’s room for a jar containing a concoction the doctor had made for the crew’s.. _ .intimate encounters _ , and some light hearted laughter and kisses later and Yeosang was splayed out on his bed, his head tilted back as Mingi’s long fingers stretched him open. 

Plump lips trailed fiery kisses down Yeosang’s chest, with Mingi flicking his tongue out to roll over his nipple. Yeosang groaned, combing his fingers through Mingi’s hair as he sunk the third finger into his hole. 

_ “Mingi~”  _ He sighed out, smiling to himself at the shudder that left Mingi’s body as he scissored his fingers apart, pressing small, loving kisses to Yeosang’s abdomen, smiling against the soft skin of his belly. 

Yeosang wasn’t as lean as some of the other members of the crew since he wasn’t as combat inclined most of the time, and with him being the cook and sampling all of his food before he served them, he’d gained a layer or two of fat. 

Mingi loved admiring the soft skin when they were together, from the kisses he trailed along the light cream colored stretch marks on his hips. 

“M-Mingi, more.”

Yeosang’s voice brought his attention back to his intended task, and Mingi looked up, tilting his head. Yeosang spread his legs, his eyes dark with want. 

“I want you to make me feel good like you always do.” 

Those must have been the words Mingi had been waiting to hear, because he shivered and kissed back up his body, letting Yeosang pull him into another kiss as he replaced his fingers with his cock, whining when Yeosang reached between them, stroking some of the lubricant onto Mingis cock before he purred into his kiss.

“I need you, Mingi. I want you.” 

The boatswain shuddered in delight. Whenever one of them told him he was wanted in that tone it just-

Focus, Mingi. You have to make him feel as good as he makes you feel.

Mingi tucked his head in Yeosang’s neck, sliding his cock into his stretched hole with a low sound akin to a growl and a mewl. Yeosang was always so warm, inside and out. Whether or not it was because of his powers, Mingi didn’t know, or really care. All he knew is the welcoming warmth of Yeosang’s body, inviting him to come inside, and to stay for as long as he’d like, moving in harmony with the smaller pirate. 

Below him, Yeosang screwed his eyes shut, his lips parting as he felt Mingi bottom out inside of him. He clung to him, small moans leaving his mouth as Mingi began rolling his hips, pulling out just until his cockhead caught on the rim of Yeosang’s pucker before he pushed back in fully, dragging shaky groans from both the deep-voiced men. 

“J-Just like that, Mingi. You feel so good stuffing me like this. Do you see how nice my body feels because of you?” Yeosang cooed, and Mingi took some time to truly admire him, his mouth watering at the way Yeosang’s brown nipples were perked up, one still damp from Mingi’s mouth a few minutes prior. His cock leaked against his stomach, and there were a few dark splotches that marked up his neck from Mingi’s biting kisses. His face was flushed red, and Mingi took some time out to press his lips to the ex prince’s birthmark.

As Mingi rolled his hips down, Yeosang arched his back up, a particularly loud moan leaving his lips as he brushed over that delightful bundle inside. At any point, someone could walk by and find them or overhear them. 

Overhear how good Mingi was for Yeosang, how  _ he _ was the one to make the smaller man moan like this, this time. 

The thought alone of being the reason for Yeosang’s pleasure made a whimper fall from Mingi’s lips as he grabbed one of Yeosang’s hands. The smaller man smiled and cupped his cheek, pulling him down so their lips brushed against each other. 

“Oh? What was that? Was that a whimper? Does it feel good? Do you know how close I am, Mingi? All for you, all because of you. You’re loving me so well, baby, I can feel myself getting closer and closer.” He moaned against Mingi’s lips, his eyes glowing as he used his powers, purring below Mingi as a second Yeosang wrapped his arms around the man’s frame. 

Mingi’s hips stuttered in surprise, the warm feeling of Yeosang’s illusion making him gasp as the second kitsune ran his hands up and down Mingi’s toned abs. He pressed warm kisses to Mingi’s shoulder, clawed hands lightly dragging over Mingi’s nipples and making the man shudder. 

“That’s it, Mingi. Keep going, look at how close I am. Don’t I look so pretty like that? Look at my face.” the second Yeosang turned his face, and Mingi felt his cock twitch hard inside of him at the first Yeo. 

His eyes were closed, his fists pulling the sheets in a white knuckled grip as he rolled his hips down, meeting Mingi’s hips every time he thrusted into him. The sound of his cock sliding in and out of him and Yeosang’s lispy, wanton cries of  _ ‘please please please, yes-’ _ brought Mingi closer and closer, his grip on Yeosang’s hips tightening as he began breathing harshly through his nose. 

The second Yeosang’s foxy ears twitched in delight, turning Mingi’s chin to kiss him deeply, toying with his nipples as he rolled his tongue against Mingi’s. A snow white tail swished to and fro behind his bottom as Mingi rocked into his lover. He broke the kiss with the double, pressing their heads together as he reached down, stroking the original Yeosang’s cock in time with his thrusts. 

“Please, I want you to cum first. Let me see, tell me how I make you feel.” Mingi all but pleaded, rubbing his thumb over Yeosang’s drooling slit, his brows pulled up and his bottom lip caught between his teeth as he turned to give the real Yeosang his undivided attention.

Yeosang whined, spreading his legs more and holding them open as he took every thrust, his mouth falling open. His eyes fluttered, rolling back as he reached for Mingi’s hand. 

“Yes, yes yes, Mingi! Mingi!!”

Mingi watched as Yeosang fell apart for him. Bucking up, Yeosang shook as stars exploded behind his vision. He pulled Mingi in, kissing him hard as he clenched around his cock. 

“Cum for me, Mingi.” He shuddered, all but roaring as he stilled his hips, his cock sputtering rope after rope of warm cum into Yeosang. 

The two held each other, with Mingi pressing small, affectionate kisses to his jaw. Yeosang caressed his cheeks and smiled at him, eyes half lidded. 

“Thank you, Mingi.” Yeosang mewled, keeping a leg wrapped around his waist to keep him inside. Mingi kissed him and nodded, a wave of shyness falling over him again. 

“Was I-”

“You were amazing, as always.” 

Mingi smiled and held him close with no intention of pulling out of him. Yeosang chuckled and held him close. They stayed in each other's arms, joined together until it was time for them to pull away to start dinner. 

They held hands all the way down to the galley after cleaning up, gentle smiles on their faces.

**-🌴-**

“Okay. Are you ready?”

Jongho looked around at the crew embers, a gentle smile on his face as some of them watched him for instruction, while the others stared intently at the pair of sticks in front of them. 

He had spent days teaching  tī rakau -a stick game he’d been taught to do ever since he was a child-to the crew members. Yunho had made them some hallowed out sticks using his powers, and now he walked through the pairs of crew members to see if everyone was in position. 

Some sat on their knees, some sat cross legged. All of them looked determined to get this right. Jongho chuckled, feeling Whiro curiously shift along his skin as he sat down across from Hongjoong. The captain had his tongue poking out from his lips. 

Cute.

“Ready, Jongho!” Wooyoung cheered, bouncing on his knees he sat across from Seonghwa. The prince sat still, his eyes focused as he waited for Jongho’s cue. Jongho ran his hand through his wavy hair, the long onyx-colored locks falling down past his shoulders after he pulled his bun free. 

With a chuckle, Jongho started singing, proud when a few of the other members, albeit with shaky pronunciations, sang along with him. 

_ “E hine, hoki mai ra.” _

The group picked up their respective sticks, grabbing them as they began singing. They followed Jongho’s lead, just as he had taught them to, tapping the sticks against the floor before tapping them together, gently swaying their bodies to keep their rhythm.

_ “E pāpā Waiari, _

_ Taku nei mahi _

_ Taku nei mahi, _

_ He tuku roimata.” _

As they sang, they began to toss the sticks to the person across from them, still swaying and singing. The game was taught to young Māori children and carried out as tradition all the way to the adults. 

_ ‘Ē aue, ka mate au; _

_ E hine hoki mai rā _

_ Ē aue, ka mate au; _

_ E hine hoki mai rā’ _

Jongho was proud of the men and women around him, catching one of Hongjoong’s sticks, tapping it against the deck, before tossing the one in his opposite hand to Hongjoong. The pace of the song picked up as Jongho sung louder, his gums showing as he tossed both of his sticks to and fro to his captain. 

_ “Māku e kaute _

_ Ō hīkoitanga _

_ Māku e kaute _

_ Ō hīkoitanga” _

They went a few rounds until San slipped up and dropped Mingi's stick. The deck exploded into merry laughter as San scrambled to grab his sticks. 

"Done! I won!" Mingi cheered, his eyes little crescents behind his glasses as San pouted across from him. Hongjoong looked over at them, a small smile on his face before he looked towards Jongho as he and Whiro collected the sticks, depositing them in a small chest they kept at the corner of the deck that held items they used for games. Some cards, a few colorful dice, a checkerboard, and some horseshoes lay at the bottom of the chest. The sticks eclipsed the other items and Jongho smiled as he closed it. 

The boys fell into comfortable chatter as Yeosang moved to get dinner with Mingi and Seonghwa’s assistance. After he set the sticks aside, Jongho sat down beside Yunho and Wooyoung, pulling out a chunk of a familiar purple stone.

Before they left the cave with the wyverns, Yunho had grabbed a large chunk of charoite, handing it to Jongho with a kind smile once they had gotten safely aboard the ship. 

_ -“I saw you staring at them in the cave and I figured I would give you a memento. It’s a terrible shame you kind of...had it lodged in your body for a while, but here.”' _

The young ex bounty hunter had looked upon it in wonder before he cheerfully took it. 

Since then, he had begun carving into the rock, a small determined smile on his face. He mentioned finally being able to put Mateo’s mere to rest, now that he’d redeemed himself and learning to carve weapons from watching his father. He and Whiro must have found some common ground, as well, as the entity would watch on, seemingly admiring Jongho’s craftsmanship, while also putting in his own input in swiftly spoken Māori.

San watched them with curious eyes, smiling as Yeosang settled their plates in front of them. The chef put a hand on his hip before he gently plucked Jongho’s forehead. 

“Hey. Weapons away from the table.”

“But-”

“Choi Jongho.”

Jongho puffed his cheeks out, a small blush coming to his cheeks. He, like Mingi, didn’t have a last name before. To the surprise of the others, he’d asked to have San’s last name since the older man was technically the reason his life was saved. 

Had he not pleaded with Hongjoong, he may not have been there. 

Anyway, the youngest pouted, setting the charoite under the table. Whiro snickered at his scolding before he returned to being a tā moko on his arms when Yeosang leered in warning. 

Yeosang smiled softly, then, and moved on to the next person, gently instructing Mingi and Seonghwa with who got what. 

They ate and talked together. Yunho quietly shared his findings on the entity inside of him, letting the others know he was part of a deity named ‘Geb’. The kind fractured god couldn’t remember much from his time inside Hyuna’s box, but he often told them tales of Egypt and fantastical stories of his time as a fully fledged god. 

They all watched him speak through Yunho between bites before others joined in the dinnerside storytime, telling old sailor’s tales and stories of their homelands. 

Hongjoong watched them all with a small smile on his face, bringing a cup of water to his lips. Mingi’s head fell onto his shoulder as the younger man finished his food, the lethargy that came after eating a good meal making his eyes droop. Hongjoong kissed his head, going slightly cross eyed as he looked up at him. 

“Sleepy, baby?”

“Mm...Can I sleep with you and Hwa today?” He mumbled, his voice rough with tiredness. Hongjoong chuckled and wiped the corner of his lips, cleaning it of some excess sauce before he nodded. 

“Of course, Mingi. You can rest on me until we go upstairs.”

Satisfied, Mingi nuzzled his shoulder, closing his eyes and resting until everyone finished eating and separated to their own quarters. Hongjoong settled himself between Mingi and Seonghwa, drifting off to sleep with the tall men tucked into his sides. 

-🌊-

**“Open your eyes.”**

Hongjoong shot up with a start, gasping as he tried to regain his bearings, temporarily disoriented.

He looked around, taking in the royal feeling of the building he was standing in. He began to walk, the dull sound from his boots against the expensive looking marble tile under his feet being the only sound in the palace. Rows upon rows of stone columns littered each side of the hall as he walked through the quiet palace hallway.

The only other sound came from the water just outside of the columns. 

Water?

Hongjoong walked over to the columns and examined the water, blinking in almost childlike wonder as he noticed the fish swimming just outside of them, going on about their daily aquatic lives as if there weren’t a huge, open palace submerged just feet away from where they swam. 

Dreams are weird, man. 

Hongjoong turned his attention back to the hall before him, his boots once again making an echoed sound as he walked further down the hall. The deeper he went, the more he felt like someone or  _ something _ was watching him. 

He stopped before a pair of large doors, running calloused fingertips over the engraved gold and jade decor on them before he pulled one of them open, grunting from the strain of the heavy door. When he walked into the room, he felt like he had dove deeper into the water around him just outside the castle. 

The pressure of being deeper in the sea made his steps sluggish as he walked into the room. The columns were gone, replaced by a row of purple wisteria, dangling down and creating a nearly overpowering sweet scent in the new hall. He coughed slightly before he kept walking, his feet making gentle splashes with every step. 

He looked down, and at his feet, he could see purple water lilies and blue lotuses floating around below him, accompanied by lily pads. Some of which had the occasional scale or two settled on top of it.

Curious, Hongjoong knelt down, picking up some of the scales, looking at them in his hand.

They glittered in the light of the room, and Hongjoong brought it closer, admiring the turquoise and jade coloring to the scale. 

As he turned it in his finger, it sliced into it, drawing a hiss from him. A single drop of his blood landed into the water and the palace instantly began to rumble. He blinked in surprise and shot up, looking around him as the wisteria began to blow aggressively, as if a strong gust of wind had disturbed them. The blue lotuses and purple water lilies swirled in the water by his feet and his eyes grew as a large shadowy figure appeared at the side of the wisteria, outside in the deep ocean. 

Hongjoong looked at it, noticing it was a dragon. He swallowed thickly, noticing the thick base of the dragon as it eyed him, the same turquoise and jade scales that were on the lily pads adorning its body. Two, long whisker-like extensions stretched past its massive head as it turned towards him, gleaming green eyes piercing into Hongjoong’s being. 

It raised it’s horned head, massive clawed hands and feet making a splash as it lunged from the deep ocean into the long hall. Hongjoong’s eyes grew as its eyes gleamed, it’s lip curling up before it let out a bone chilling roar.

Alarm bells went off in his head as he turned, running full speed as the dragon lunged at him, a blast of water propelling it as the wisteria swished with the motion of its body rushing forward. His legs burned as he ran, each step seemingly sinking into the water that once held him up. The roots to the lilies and lotuses tangled up at his feet and tripped him up, and he hit the water with a splash, the dragon just barely missing biting into his form as it soared over him. 

He panted, lifting his head before the water that was accelerating the dragon swept him up, blasting him forward and depositing him pitifully at the end of the long hall. 

He coughed, spitting out brackish water, pounding his fist on his chest before he looked up, sweeping his wet bangs back, his eyes widening as he noticed the giant throne situated at the end of the hallway. The captain was in instant awe at the flamboyant and exaggerated gold accents to it. 

His eyes were drawn to the man sitting in the throne, one of his legs planted on the floor as the other was strewn over the arm of it. His elbow was propped on the other arm, with his free hand resting between his legs, a bouquet sticking out from under his long sleeve. Hongjoong couldn’t take his eyes off of the man, eyeing the scales and veins on his face as he swayed his foot idly. 

He eyed Hongjoong back and his lips quirked. 

_ **“Captain.”** _

Hongjoong shuddered, looking at a near mirror image of himself. The man smirked and tilted his head, still remaining in his seat. The ‘other’ him looked amused at his reaction and brought his leg down, standing slowly. His head cocked to the left as he slowly descended the steps. 

Hongjoong took in the length of the silken robes. The sleeves went down past his thighs when he put his hands down, completely obscuring the bouquet. His hair was a dark blue, nearly black color, with most of it dangling down past his shoulders, aside from the small amount pulled up into a bun at the top of his head. The robes dragged slightly on the floor as he walked closer to Hongjoong, and the captain couldn’t help but to take a step back, feeling unease fill his body. 

_ **“Oh? Where did your backbone go, Captain? Are you afraid?”** _

Hongjoong’s eyes narrowed in defiance, opening his mouth to deny the claim (even if it did have a shred of truth to it), but the man was suddenly right in front of him, gleaming green eyes piercing into Hongjoong’s. The captain tensed and the man hummed, grabbing Hongjoong’s face with a clawed hand. Hongjoong leered at him, finding his voice. 

“Who are you?”

_ **“Isn’t it obvious? Look at me, Captain. Who do you think I am?” ** _

The man leaned into his space, his breath hot against Hongjoong’s ear. 

_ **“I’m your significant ‘other’, if you will. Ah, that sounds a bit too intimate, doesn’t it?” ** _ the mirror image let Hongjoong go and laughed, slowly circling around him. 

_ **“The true power? Mmm...no, that’s too dull. Maybe ‘your better half’? It’s accurate, but still a mouthful, let’s see…”** _

Hongjoong kept his eyes on him, growling as he watched the man ignore him in lieu of continuing his prattle. 

Fed up, Hongjoong reached for the blunderbuss at his waist, but a tendril of water wrapped around his wrist, making him cringe in pain as the man suddenly stopped in front of him again, a single brow arched. 

_ **“Impatient, are you? That’s the problem with the youth of today, so impatient. I waited for so long since that wench stole my powers and gave them to you to finally communicate and you’re already so eager to create conflict. Though your pension for violence is delicious, keep still for a bit, would you? It’s my turn to steal the show.” ** _

Hongjoong struggled against the tendril as more wrapped around his body, forcing him to his knees before the royal-looking man. He made a sweeping motion, his sleeve gracefully dangling through the air as he continued his speaking as if he hadn’t been interrupted in the first place. 

_ **“I have tried to speak to you several times now, Captain. I bet you didn’t even notice some of your most important decisions to date have had me right there beside you, guiding you. I am your victory. Your righteousness. I am your power. Ah, for now. Before I take it all back.” ** _

The man checked his clawed nails as if he hadn’t dropped the last part, the thinly veiled threat. Hongjoong twitched from below him, growling when he noticed he couldn’t use his own water powers to remove the tendrils of water holding him down. 

“This is just a dream. I’ve already controlled my powers. We’ve passed many full moons since I was turned. If I had to fight my demonic self again, why would it be now after years of having my powers?” 

_ **“‘Demonic’, huh? Such useless prattle. Hardly a label big enough for my power, Captain. 'Demon', hahaha...You really think you’re in control, hm? Cute, but so very very wrong.”** _

The mirror Hongjoong hummed and snapped his fingers, the clothing on his body changing to something Hongjoong was more familiar with. 

He adjusted the leather jacket over his shoulders, the black t-shirt he was wearing being tucked into the waistband of the tight leather pants clinging to his legs. Gone was his long hair, now replaced with a shorter style, shaved at the sides. Dangling chains adorned his neck and ears and as he looked down at Hongjoong, he raised a single brow with an x shape cut into the hairs and a single gemstone in the center of the x. 

_ **“There. That’s a bit more breathable. Now. As I was saying-”** _

He crouched down, tilting his head smugly as Hongjoong struggled subtly against the powerful tendrils. He grabbed his face again with strong ringed fingers, his claws slightly digging into Hongjoong’s skin as he spoke, his voice a low growl. 

_ **“You really are a naive little man, aren’t you? You’ll sit and believe everything that woman says to you, nod along to every story she has to spin without asking a single question, mm? Life is so much easier this way, isn't it? Being fed a grandiose tale and never stopping to ask for clarity? Such a simple life, being told what's truth instead of finding it yourself. Captain Jihyo must be proud.” ** _

Hongjoong’s anger flared as he lunged forward, ignoring the tight tendrils around his body as he swung up, headbutting his ‘other’ self. He cracked him in the lip, but the other him didn’t budge, simply touching his lip before he chuckled, running his tongue over the blood that ran down it. 

_ **“Angry? Good. That is how we remain strong after all, Captain. We get angry. We conquest. We dominate.” ** _

He stood, rolling his arm on his shoulder before he moved his attention back to the bouquet in his other hand. He pursed his lips before chuckling, running his fingers through the bouquet of mostly purple and orange flowers. Hongjoong took note of the black and white flowers situated in the center of the bouquet, standing out in the otherwise vibrant-colored flowers. 

_ **“Captain, did you know there are meanings behind some blooms and their colors? Apparently. I suppose mortals have decided to give such little, insignificant items deeper meanings. It’s something I’ve taken interest in while I bide my time.” ** _ He hummed and ran his thumb over some of the petals. Hongjoong sneered at him, but he was ignored. 

_ **“Orange lilies, purple petunias, orange and purple petunias, snapdragons, and of course, a black rose and asphodel for the centerpiece. It’s amazing how much meaning such beautiful blooms are given. I’ve been waiting for you to hear me to give these to you. Consider this a gift.” ** _ He tossed it at Hongjoong’s knees before turning his back on him.

_ **“You’re not ready just yet, but I am a patient man. I ** **will** ** take this body when I see it fit enough for royalty, a king. Don’t make me wait too long, Captain Hongjoong. My patience will only stretch for so long. And remember-” ** _ He flicked his clawed hand, the water swirling around Hongjoong in a cone around them. He looked around, noticing the lotus, lily, petunia, wisteria, snapdragon, rose, and asphodel petals littering the water, dotting the crystal clear angered waters with flecks of orange, purple, blue, white, and black. 

The water surrounded them, the strength of the cone blowing Hongjoong’s bangs in a damp wind. 

_ **“When you inhale, I fill your lungs.” ** _

The water parted for him and he stepped out, sending a look over his shoulder at Hongjoong before he smirked, letting out a low chuckle that sounded closer to a dark giggle. He suddenly stopped, his smile falling as he rolled his eyes and turned his head away from Hongjoong’s form, snapping his fingers once. 

Instantly, the walls of water closed behind him, sweeping him up the petaled water and throwing him around violently. He was helpless, thrown left and right in the whirlpool as his vision went dark. 

**-x-**

Hongjoong shot up with a start, his shirt sticking to him from the cold sweat that had broken out all over his body. He clutched his chest, gasping for breath. 

Movement caught his eye from either side, and in moments, both Seonghwa and Mingi were awake, with the latter holding his shoulders firmly as he struggled to regain his composure. 

"Cap, breathe. Look at me, hey." Mingi's usually bubbly and light hearted voice was now uncharacteristically firm as he rubbed Hongjoong’s shoulders with his thumbs. Seonghwa pressed a cool hand to Hongjoong’s damp forehead before sweeping his chestnut colored hair back, his touch gentle and loving as Mingi continued speaking. 

"Breathe. Deep breathe in, hold it. Then let it out."

Hongjoong’s eyes widened at the thought, remembering the low threat his 'other' side gave him. 

** _"When you inhale, I fill your lungs."_ **

His chest heaved as he began to hyperventilate, but Mingi pulled him closer, settling the smaller pirate in his lap. Seonghwa hesitated to scoot closer, but followed the younger man's movements when Mingi nodded at him over Hongjoong’s shoulder. 

Mingi put Hongjoong’s hand on his broad chest, over his lungs as he did the same. With his free hand, he gently rubbed Hongjoong’s cheek, his voice careful and quiet, as if talking to a wounded animal. 

"Trust me, Captain. Whatever happened in that dream, we can discuss when you're calm. For now. Breathe with me. C'mon."

Hongjoong looked at him with unfocused eyes before he hesitantly followed Mingi's lead, slowly breathing with him. 

Seonghwa kept close, gently blowing cool air on the two as he combed his fingers through Hongjoong’s hair. He swept the brunette's mullet back, gently braiding his hair as Mingi calmed Hongjoong down. 

10 minutes and one well done French braid later, Hongjoong had his head on Mingi's shoulder, his eyes closed as he tried to calm the storm of emotions swirling in his mind. Mingi let him, hugging him tightly. 

The tallest of the three wanted to ask, but he decided against it, feeling the underlying tremble in his lover’s arms. 

Instead, Mingi pulled Hongjoong back between Seonghwa and himself, hugging him protectively against his chest as he tucked Hongjoong’s head under his chin. 

“It’s okay to not be okay and have scary dreams sometimes, Captain. We’re with you.” 

The cradle of sleep eluded Hongjoong for the rest of the night. 

-x-

In the days after Hongjoong’s nightmare, the crew members noticed their captain becoming progressively more and more stressed out. 

Despite his immortality, dark circles began to appear under his eyes from a lack of sleep. He ate less, spending copious amounts of time in the crow’s nest, staring out at the ocean. 

Hours, just staring out into the ocean, as if searching for something. 

Today, he climbed down, flagging Jongho over when the gunner emerged from the navigation room with Wooyoung in tow, talking about making more cannonballs for the crew to use in naval battles. 

The captain jumping down startled the two men at first. Hongjoong dusted off his trousers, rolling his shoulders before asking Jongho-and surprisingly enough, Whiro-to fight him. Wooyoung’s lips parted in surprise at the mention of the cocky Māori entity, and by the way Jongho squared his jaw, he was caught off guard by the request, as well. 

Caught off guard, but not unwilling. 

Jongho peeled his shirt off, tossing it aside before he secured his long hair up in a bun, rolling his neck on his shoulders slightly. Whiro chuckled within his head, and Hongjoong and Wooyoung watched as the tā moko on Jongho’s arms lifted, the dark lines shifting behind the man as Whiro loomed over him in the form of a behemoth-like shadow with gleaming crimson eyes. 

Jongho pulled out the completed charoite mere out from the pouch Mingi made him, his eyes going dark as Whiro’s shadow shifted above him. 

**“If you give me full control, I’ll show you something fun~”**

“Show me you shutting the fuck up first,  _ please _ .”

**“Love you too.** ”

“Ew.”

Jongho rolled his eyes and braced himself as Hongjoong ran at him, three bursts of aquatic magic flying from his hands as he closed the distance between him and the gunner. Whiro grinned, blocking the water while Jongho twisted his body, swinging for Hongjoong with the butt end of the weapon. 

The captain grabbed his wrist, tossing him overhead before knocking him a few yards away with a powerful blast of water to the chest before he could fully land. Jongho landed in a heap, some of his hair falling loose of it’s bun as Hongjoong righted himself, eyeing him as he stood. 

Jongho could hear and talk to Whiro. Yunho could hear and talk to Geb.

Maybe if he used his powers more competitively, he could coax out... _ whoever _ it was in his dreams. 

As he pondered that, he missed Jongho pressing a palm to the deck, pulling his own shadow out of the ground before he slammed Hongjoong down hard. The captain coughed in surprise, rolling away as Whiro brought a fist down where he once was. The wood of the deck splintered.

“Hey! It’s a sparring match!” Jongho snapped as Hongjoong clenched his chest, sucking the air that was knocked out of him back into his lungs. 

**“Oh please. Look at the look in his eyes. He wants a real fight, I’ll give it to him.”**

Jongho and Whiro began to bicker and Hongjoong slowly rose up, water swirling around his feet as he lost his patience. The wind knocked out of him from a single blow?

He wouldn’t find the answers he needed this way. He couldn’t find his true strength if he couldn’t take a hit. 

He couldn’t protect his crew like this.

Wooyoung noticed the way scales began to slowly form over the skin of Hongjoong’s cheeks, glittering in the sun as a stormy look crossed his eyes. He glanced back and forth between Jongho and Hongjoong, opening his mouth to tell them to stop fighting when Hongjoong ran forward once more, the aquatic bursts of water coming in a furious barrage as he threw more and more at Jongho. 

In an instant, Jongho’s warrior nature kicked in, crossing his arms over his chest as he used Whiro’s massive solid shadow to shield himself from the blasts. Hongjoong ran around Whiro’s form to try and get another hit in, but Jongho swung first, hitting him in the stomach with the butt end of the charoite mere before he slapped him away with a shadow. 

Hongjoong tumbled, rolling to the edge of the deck, huffing slightly before he clicked his tongue in rage. 

He’s the captain. He’s supposed to be the strongest. How can he lead and protect if he’s not strong?

Hongjoong’s nails dug into the wood as his chest rose and fell harshly, the thoughts swamping his mind making his blood boil. 

He couldn’t be weak. The crew needed him to be strong. He had to be able to protect the ones he loved and he couldn’t do that if he could be tossed around so easily. 

** _“Captain Jihyo must be proud”_ **

Wooyoung startled as Hongjoong let out an enraged scream, the  _ Utopia _ rocking in the suddenly turbulent waters as the sky darkened. Rain fell from it as Hongjoong continued his wild barrage of attacks. Jongho squared his shoulders, unphased by the out of character demeanor of his captain. 

Fight now, figure it out later, just as he’d be taught as a child. 

Wooyoung, however, was terrified by the ever growing conflict, and he rushed to the captain’s quarters to grab Seonghwa to intervene. 

**“Excellent, Captain! I don’t know what’s come over you, but keep this energy up, this is fun~!” ** Whiro chuckled, raining down a hailstorm of punches as he overshadowed Jongho while he still fought Hongjoong from below.

Despite his emotional state, Hongjoong’s movements sharpened ever so slightly, dodging Whiro’s attacks with whips of water while he drew a cutlass, swinging. Jongho ducked under one of his strikes after sustaining a nasty gash from a well placed thrust to his arm. Seeing the opportunity, he lifted the rounded end of his mere charoite, striking just below his armpit with practiced ease. 

The moment he heard a pop, followed by Hongjoong barking in pain, he swore. 

Fuck, right, they were supposed to be sparring. 

“ _ Pare _ ! What the hell is going on up here?!” 

Seonghwa’s voice cut into the tension of the moment as he stormed up to both of them, his brows knitted up in worry. 

Jongho pulled Whiro in in an instant, ignoring his complaints as Seonghwa stopped to examine his gashed shoulder. Jongho smiled gently and put his hand over Seonghwa’s, gently pulling them away. 

“I’m okay, really. It’s nothing that won’t heal in a day.”

The two of them looked over at Hongjoong as he held his arm, gripping it tight as he tried to reset it himself. Jongho’s eyebrows pulled up in worry as he approached his captain. 

“Cap, I’m sorry. I get carried away when it comes to fighting, I still have to learn to tone it down when I’m sparring-”

Hongjoong hissed and finally popped his shoulder back into place, letting out a string of curses before he turned, forcing a smile despite the pain throbbing from the area. 

“It’s okay, I asked you to fight me. Don’t hold back when I do, okay? It’s not like we won’t heal back.” 

“I’d prefer not to hurt you.”

“Ditto.” 

The two stared at each other for a pregnant pause, and Jongho knew there was more to it than that. 

Seonghwa could tell, as well, if the way he grabbed Hongjoong’s wrist when he tried to leave was anything to go by. 

“Ah, no you don’t, putois. Where are you going? I need you to explain what the hell that was about, you damn near scared the life out of Wooyoung.”   
  


Hongjoong looked guiltily over Seonghwa’s shoulder at Wooyoung-who was now joined by San and Yeosang after the disturbance and sudden shift in the ship’s sailing startled them from their own respective activities. 

“I...I’m sorry. I’m just working some stuff out, you know? I’ll try to be more mindful next time.” He smiled sheepishly at them and gently twisted his hand out of Seonghwa’s grip, disappearing into his quarters and staying there for the rest of the day. 

_ ‘I’m sorry I’m a weak captain.’ _

-x-

“Yunho, I want you to fight me.”

The doctor blinked in surprise, tilting his head at the quiet urgency in his captain’s voice. He set down the watering can he was holding, brows pulled together as he looked down at Hongjoong. There was a beat of silence before he spoke. 

“Um...why, all of a sudden?”

“I need...to practice with my powers. We haven’t had a proper fight since the drake and wyverns, and I want to make sure I’m not rusty or anything. Always have to be prepared for the worst, right?”

A lie, and both of them knew it as such. Yunho had been approached by the boys before for sparring, it was something they did often, but the determined look in Hongjoong’s eyes betrayed that this was more than just practice. That, and the incident only a month prior with Jongho told him there was much more that went unsaid.

“Sure. Just let me finish watering my plants-”

Hongjoong lifted his hand, making a gentle mist fall over the plants in question, his eyes never leaving Yunho’s as he did so. When he was finished, he turned his back, heading out of the room without a word. 

Yunho frowned and followed. 

Minutes later, the crew members without powers had cleared the area, watching with wide eyes as Hongjoong barked at Yunho to not hold back. 

Even the other immortal pirates were taken back by the bite in Hongjoong’s voice as a tidal wave formed behind him. Yunho pursed his lips, his now-blonde hair sticking to his head. His eyes narrowed as he got back up on his feet after he was knocked down by a strong wave of water, thick branches sprouting from the wood in the deck, swinging wildly at him. 

Yunho swung his long legs at him, just barely missing kicking him in the jaw as Hongjoong arched his back, watching as Yunho’s heel whizzed past his forehead.

**“Your partner appears to be having a hard time, doctor.”**

“I know, Geb. I can’t figure out what it is.” 

Hongjoong perked as the triangle around Yunho’s eye twinkled a bright color, followed by the doctor speaking to the source of his power. He grit his teeth, one of his electric blue eyes changing to a near neon green as he shot forward, throwing a punch that was easily blocked by the doctor. 

“Why can he hear you, when I couldn’t?”

Yunho paused at the raw tone in Hongjoong’s voice as he muttered the question, glaring down at the deck before he put his hand down, the water around the deck falling into the sea. Hongjoong exhaled, closing his eyes to collect himself. 

**“....Yunho.”**

Without needing any instruction from the Egyptian god, Yunho put a hand on Hongjoong’s shoulder, his brows knitted up together as he looked at him. 

“Captain. Talk to me. First Jongho and Whiro, and now me and Geb. What’s wrong?”

Hongjoong grit his teeth, pouring his heart out and telling the doctor all about the dream. He hadn’t had any other incidents with the mysterious man or the underwater palace since the initial dream, but all the things he said on that evening had been plaguing him ever since. 

  
  


Yunho pursed his lips, tapping his chin as he let Geb take enough control for him to talk without having to relay the information back and forth. 

**“Captain, if I may, wouldn’t it be easier if you talked this out with the one called Hyuna instead of keeping all of this inside of you? Correct me if I’m wrong, but you consider this crew to be as close to you as family, yes?” **

Hongjoong bit his lip, looking around at the concerned looks at everyone who had gathered on the deck. He felt awash with shame before he looked down at the compass on his wrist. The stone twinkled in the sunlight, changing colors depending on the angle the light hit it from. 

Hongjoong sighed before plucking a single crow’s feather from his belt. Before she left after the wyvern encounter, Hyuna had instructed them how they could summon her. It was as simple as pressing a black feather to one of their marks and calling her name. 

Looking over the feather, Hongjoong pressed his lips into a tight line before he settled the feather against the alexandrite stone and took a breath.

_ “Hyuna.” _

Suddenly, a whirlwind of feathers landed on the deck, with Hyuna clearly mid-motion, her box open. Her eyes grew as she took in the new environment, snapping the box closed before she cursed, stomping her foot in anger as she looked over at the pirates. 

“Goddammit, I  _ almost _ had that damn alicorn before you interrupted me! Do you even know how  _ hard _ it is to find unicorns, let alone  _ winged _ ones?!” 

Hyuna paused when Dawn set a hand on her shoulder nodding at the serious expressions on the pirate's faces.

Hyuna picked up the energy all of them were giving out and hummed, tilting her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. 

“So. I’m assuming it’s important, if you’ve called me. What is it?” 

“I...had a dream. And I need to know whether or not the spirit that’s left inside of me has any chance of taking over.” 

Hyuna’s face changed to a neutral one in an instant as she straightened up. 

“...what?”

“Yunho can hear and work with Geb. Jongho can hear and work with Whiro….I hadn’t heard any of my spirits after the night you turned me when I was 19. It’s been two years...why can’t I hear them? What haven’t you told me? Geb and Whiro aren’t even demons, they're deities, it's about time you told me everything, isn’t it?”

He stared Hyuna down for a long time and she pressed her lips together, tapping her bottom lip with her knuckle before she exhaled. 

“Fine. Allow me,” she put her hands on her hips as she began talking.

“Ages ago, it is told that the gods forged the first woman of the mortal world...in Greece, at least. Created from clay and gifted to the world below in order to fool and punish them for accepting the gift of stolen fire from Olympus. This woman knew nothing of her fate, knew nothing about the life they forged for her, knew nothing of the sort. She was taught to be beautiful, to be crafty, to be persistent and clever. Her name was Pandora.” 

Hyuna paced the deck, speaking slowly as the men watched her. At the mention of the mythos, both Seonghwa and Yeosang perked, both of them having stumbled upon the Greco-Roman tale in the midst of their studies. 

“Pandora was gifted a box, one she was told by the gods to _ never _ open. But the same curiosity they instilled in her led to her disobeying their instruction, and it is said she opened the box and let out ‘all the evil in the world’, slamming the lid closed on the last thing for humanity, hope. Apparently.” 

She stopped in front of Hongjoong, looking him in the eyes. He straightened up and she kept talking. 

“Forsaken by the gods that created her, Pandora called out to the sky, begging for someone,  _ anyone _ to give her life meaning again, as the guilt was overwhelming. The gods made it known  _ she _ was the reason for the world’s misfortune, that their very creation and the very gift they gave was tainted. So she cried to the sky for protection and guidance. Down fell a single crow’s feather, and before her appeared a goddess not from her lands, but one attuned enough to hear her voice. That was the Phantom Queen, The Morrigan.”

“A goddess of war, of birth, of death...the whole shebang. She agreed to give Pandora another chance to thrive and be free, a chance to actually receive gifts from the gods, using the very cursed box they gave her. So close together did the two work, they’d all but become one entity. This, is the first contract that was made.” she brushed her fingers idly over the box she had since strapped back to her hip.

Realization began to dawn on Hongjoong’s face as his lips parted. A sea breeze blew Hyuna’s hair across her face before she lifted her head, humming. 

“Hyuna, are you..Pandora? Or...The Morrigan?”

“That is an answer I’ve lost long ago. All I know is the woman that stands before you is called Hyuna.”

Hongjoong frowned and Hyuna sauntered closer to him, placing an arm over his shoulder before she leaned into his space, her face right near his. Hongjoong tensed, but made no movements. Hyuna looked past him, speaking in a low tone. 

“I travel the world, collecting all the power that interests me. I challenge gods and goddesses, when they lose, I receive a portion of their power, or a gift of power equivalent. I trap lesser spirits, like Yeosang’s kitsune, or Wooyoung’s banshee, and I collect them. A small few have received any gifts from my box, and you are one of them. I have never had any spirits talk back to me once I’ve secured them, so this is a new experience, as well.” 

“You told me you were a demon. That I was a demon.”

“Do you understand most of what I’ve just told you?”

“....”

“It’s simpler to call myself a demon to someone who’s not well versed with gods and magic. Though, I will admit I do have some demons I’ve gotten in this box, but I suppose the more accurate name for what we are is immortals...because not all of you have fragmented pieces of gods in you.” 

Whiro stirred from Jongho’s arms, lifting up despite the younger man’s narrowed eyes. He solidified into a near mirror image of Jongho, sans the tā moko on his face, his blonde hair, and the gleaming red eyes. Hyuna didn’t turn around, but she closed her eyes and hummed as he spoke. 

“You steal what’s not yours in your greedy, conceited quest.”

“Everyone agrees to my challenge beforehand. Even you. The fact that you lost and refuse to accept defeat is as irrelevant as your grudge. It is only by the graces of the boy you’re attached to that you’re even still here to talk shit to me. You lost against Tāne, you lost against me, and you lost against the boy. Do me a favor and be silent, will you?”

Whiro flared in anger, the tā moko thickening and nearly turning his body completely black, but Jongho narrowed his eyes, keeping him in check. Hyuna didn’t flinch as she continued talking, looking Hongjoong in the eyes. 

“So. Who are you?”

Hongjoong opened his mouth, but Hyuna shushed him, pressing her finger to his lips. 

“Not you, Captain. The one inside of you.” 

Hongjoong closed his mouth and Hyuna moved her finger from his lips, tilting her head to the side. 

“So, who is it? Which one of you is giving my captain strife? I couldn’t for the life of me begin to guess who it could be, since none of you had the backbone to pull this when you were within the box or in me, so...which one of you is it?” She tilted her head to the other side, pressing her lips together when Hongjoong showed no visible signs of change. 

Her painted nails wrapped around his wrists, and she pulled his hands up until they were around her throat, ignoring the startled look in his eyes as she spoke. 

“If getting revenge on me for your loss is what you want, you’re more than welcome to take the opportunity. You want to make me suffer? Why wait for the run around with our captain? Come out and hurt me.” 

Hongjoong’s fingers didn’t do as much as flex against her neck and she tutted, closing them more firmly around her throat as she kept talking, holding them with her own hands. 

“Your hands are around my throat, waterboy. I suggest you take this opportunity while you can, because you’ll  _ never _ get another chance like this again. If you’re going to try and kill me, do it.” 

Hongjoong shook his head and brushed her hands away, lowering his own. There wasn’t as much as a stir inside of him at the antagonizing words from Hyuna. The woman pursed her lips before she shrugged, turning her back completely to him. 

Leaving herself exposed and vulnerable. 

“Even I noticed the way your body begins to shimmer with scales when you reach a level of emotional duress. The power you showed while in that cave with those wyverns and the drake was quite impressive.” a fog began to appear on the wood of the deck at their feet as Hyuna spoke.

“The scales seem to come out when you feel like your back is against a wall, so let’s start pushing, shall we?” 

From behind them, Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward. Instantly, Dawn was in front of him, extending an arm to keep him from walking forward. He didn’t look at the prince, instead keeping his eyes on Hyuna as the fog thickened. 

“This is going to get ugly.” 

Seonghwa’s steel eyes narrowed threateningly. 

“Move, or I’ll go  _ through _ you.” 

Dawn sent him a flat look, but the air around them got foggier, a cloud of chilled air making it hard for them to see. Dawn sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 

“Here we go again.” He muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets before the fog thickened to the point where they couldn’t see anything in front of them. Mingi inhaled deeply and blew a strong gust, blowing the fog away. 

When he did, all of them-save for Dawn and Hyuna-gasped. 

They were no longer on the  _ Utopia _ , and now stood in a lush green field. There was a cliff not too far behind them that had roaring waters crashing against the side of it as the wind blew around them. 

“What- where are we?!” Hongjoong looked around, his brows furrowed as he looked back at Hyuna as she slid her shawl off of her shoulders, letting the wind carry it away carelessly before she put her hand on her hip. She looked at the captain from head to toe before she shook her head. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll put you back once we’re done here. You clearly need someone to be the bad guy so you can use your full power without holding back, right?” She spoke as if it was the simplest thing in the world. She lifted her hands, and various glaives appeared in the air around the other immortal pirates and Dawn. 

Hongjoong tensed in an instant, his eyes narrowing. He didn’t like that tone.

“Hyuna-”

“If that's what it takes, fine."

A wicked smile stretched across her lips.

** _"I’ m t h e b a d g u y n o w.”_ **

  
  


In an instant, with the flick of a wrist, the glaives came down, striking his pirate lovers without mercy. 

Where they fell was deliberate and precise. The first was a strike that severed Seonghwa’s right hand, the blue celestite gemstone in his compass falling as he let out a ghoulish scream. A raven swooped down from the sky above, catching the stone and depositing it into Hyuna’s open palm as she stared at Hongjoong, the same treatment happening to the other boys. 

It only took a minute, but soon there were 7 colorful stones in her palm as she looked at Hongjoong, her expression neutral while his crew members writhed in pain behind her. Each glaive struck them where their compasses were, rendering the men critically injured in some cases.

She tucked the gemstones into her pocket and cracked her knuckles, watching the swirl of emotions cross over Hongjoong’s face. The sky darkened and she hummed as heavy rain began to fall around them. 

“Make your move, Cap-”

An explosion of movement cut her off as Hongjoong shot forward with an enraged cry, the rain having soaked through both his and her clothes in an instant as he lunged for her, his eyes shining with a luminescent jade color. 

Hyuna threw her hand up, blocking the water-propelled strike before she snatched his wrist forward, throwing him hard over her shoulder. 

A few blasts of water had Hongjoong landing on his feet before he ran for her once more, the rain falling heavier as he made whips of water to strike her as he approached. 

Hyuna’s lips quirked as she back stepped, skipping away from the strikes while she deflected more and more with her hands. An iridescent light gleamed over her fingers as she touched the blasts of water, throwing them back at Hongjoong. 

The enraged captain took the strikes without slowing, closing the distance between them as scales stretched over his cheeks, neck, and hands. 

Hyuna watched him closely, taking the offensive and running towards him herself. The iridescent magic grew, forming blades that she threw at Hongjoong, a wide smile spreading on her face. 

“It’s been a while since someone’s given me a worthwhile fight~ Don’t let me down, or I’ll go back and keep ripping your crew to itty bitty pieces~! You want to fight me, spirit? Here I am!” She laughed, watching him side step a few blades before barking in pain when one dug into his thigh. 

He collapsed, rolling a few feet away as Hyuna tossed him aside with a blast of magic. She pursed her lips, slowing to a trot, and then a walk as she watched him, approaching slowly with a glaive in her hand. 

“Eh? Is that all?” 

She stepped over him, raising the glaive for a strike when he snapped his head up, a surge of water hitting her like a stone to the stomach, knocking her back. She rolled, scraping her arms on the rocks below before she came to a stop. The rainfall came down harder, to the point it was painful as Hyuna narrowed her eyes through the torrential downpour, trying to see through the curtain of rain. 

Hongjoong stood up, ignoring the blood running down past his thigh and soaking into his pants to add to the rain water. Hyuna pushed her soaked raven locks back, her eyes twinkling in pure delight as Hongjoong walked closer, the rain stopping around him before it formed a large dragon behind him. 

** _-. . . -_ **

“What the hell is going on?!”

Dawn sighed as he looked out at the field, standing fairly close to the fight between Hyuna and Hongjoong. 

Behind him, the other members of the crew, in one piece. 

“Hyuna is casting an illusion to hold them in place there. Hence, why all of you are unharmed.” He responded, watching with his arms crossed over his chest as Hongjoong and Hyuna stood across from each other. 

“We should stop them, immediately.” Yunho frowned, and the twinkle from the triangle over his eye was silent agreement from Geb. The elder god felt a growing sense of unease the more he watched Hongjoong lose the powerful, yet controlled way he usually fought. 

“I can’t do that.” was the flat response from Dawn. The pirates flared from behind him and he raised a finger to silence their combined protests. 

“It’s out of my control. As long as those two remain focused on keeping the illusion up, there’s nothing we can do.” He informed them, pointing to the two women sitting on a rock not too far from them. One was old and haggard, looking down into a crystal ball that had a swirling-fog colored mist into it. The other was a young girl in her teens, her eyes set on the fight before them. There was a barrier dividing them from the pair.

Both of them looked like Hyuna, just at different stages of life. 

“The Phantom Queen is a triple goddess. Those two are a part of Hyuna. She’s using illusions from those two to hold us here. In actuality, we’re still on  _ the Utopia _ . Though…those two can feel everything. Her magic is very powerful. There’s nothing I can do. Nothing you can do, either.” 

He didn’t look too enthusiastic about it, either, as his nails dug into his arm as he watched the two of them. The moment Hongjoong opened his mouth to speak, all of the boys snapped their attention back to the fight before them. 

** _-. . .-_ **

“What...did you do?”

The first words he spoke since she struck his crew members, and Hyuna would be lying if she said it didn’t send a small chill running down her back. Her hair stood on end as she stood upright, a whirlwind of black feathers swirling around her.

“I took the powers back. Can’t deal with any more strife if I snatch it all away, right? If there’s anything I learned, it’s that not all gifts are to be taken. If you cannot handle the gift you’ve been given, I’ll snatch it all away. You know why? Because I have power to do so. You don’t like it? Stop me. Come out of the captain and fight me.” she still spoke to the apparent entity that was residing inside of Hongjoong and that made his temper flare as his lip curled up. 

“You...you hurt them to try and get to the one I had a dream about?” 

Hyuna shrugged her shoulders. 

“What? Like it was hard?” 

Apparently that was the wrong answer, as Hongjoong began to tremble with rage, disappearing before her eyes in a blur of water. 

Hyuna blinked in surprise before she noticed motion to her left, looking over with enough time to block a strike from him using a shield of crow and raven feathers.

They exploded outwards and she grit her teeth, the feathers as sharp as blades as they cut into his cheeks and clothing. Hongjoong seemed unphased as he lifted his hand, a wave of water forming and slamming into Hyuna, knocking her viciously to the side. She covered her mouth, keeping the water from entering as Hongjoong stood below, panting like an animal as he held his hand out before him. 

She kept her eyes open in the murky water and after her lungs began to scream for oxygen, she shot out of the water like a bullet, her nails growing to claws as she landed on Hongjoong. Her grip was tight as she grabbed him by the throat, dragging him across the ground as she flew over it, large wings made from black feathers propelling her through the heavy rain. 

Hongjoong grabbed her wrists and twisted free, biting down on her hand before he kicked off of her, landing hard on the ground and rolling to his feet before the two continued their magical assault on one another. 

A swirl of dragons emerged from the rain and thunder began to rumble in the distance as the two stared at each other. 

Hongjoong looked up, the glow of his eyes being the only thing Hyuna could make out in the dark curtain of rain. Her jaw locked as she rolled her neck on her shoulders, spreading the coal wings on her back before she disappeared in a shockwave, the gust disturbing the greenery below Hongjoong’s feet as she lunged for him. 

He cursed and moved to run from the barrage of razor-sharp feathers, throwing up a wall of water to slow them before he turned to try and catch Hyuna in another aquatic tempest. She appeared before him in a flash, kicking him in the chest before she grabbed his throat again, throwing him away from her with ease. 

Hongjoong rolled once more, his clothing in tatters as he landed on his back, stilling. Hyuna observed him before she gently lowered herself to her feet, watching his body. When he didn’t move, she exhaled, summoning her staff and walking over to him, more cautiously than before. 

“The most precious gems are forged under pressure, Captain. It truly has been a while since I’ve had a fight of this caliber. It’s about time it ended, though.” She stood over his body, the fog from before appearing at her feet as she moved over him. 

“ _ Eheheh. _ ”

His eyes snapped open as he reached forward, striking her in the chest with a blade of water. She recoiled, dropping her staff as he pushed himself to his feet, laughing slowly as he looked up at her through his soaked bangs. 

“You don’t get to hurt my loved ones and act like nothing happened.” 

Hyuna opened her mouth to tell him of the illusion she had created in order to try and draw his spirit out, but it was cut off by Hongjoong flinging his hand to the left, a dragon of water biting into her midsection and knocking her away roughly. He walked closer to her, like a conductor of the water around him, moving his hand to and fro as more dragons attacked her.

A woman of short patience already, Hyuna’s let out an annoyed shout, throwing her hand forward, hitting him in the chest with a blast of powerful dark magic. The thunder began to rumble louder around them as the sky flashed white, the competitive nature in Hyuna making her forget all about cutting the fight, 

It had been a while since someone stood a chance against her in a fight and gave her a run for her money. 

There wasn’t any harm in going a few more blows, right?

That was all it took in her mind to continue the fight, the black wings fracturing and falling apart. The inky feathers lifted once more, spinning before they flew at Hongjoong. He didn’t seem phased, rushing at her with a whip of water, slapping away whatever he could and taking some slices to his body. 

Adrenaline rushed through his veins as he and her exchanged powerful bursts of magic. 

Neither of them held back, the violent shockwaves even shaking the very ground Dawn and the others stood on a few yards away. 

The two bounced off of each other like rubber balls in the rain, a blow here, a bark of rage and pain there, neither of them backing down as they attacked each other. 

“Tell me your name!” Hyuna urged, backing away from a dragon that came to her left and ducking under one that tried to strike her from the back. Hongjoong grit his teeth, ignoring the demand as he stepped forward. 

A flash of lightning struck not too far from him and Hyuna’s eyes darkened. 

“I asked for your name.” 

“Do you think I’m in the mood for conversation?” the tone was cold, unafraid of the unspoken threat of lightning strikes. Hyuna’s lips quirked as she laughed ever so slightly. 

“This will end when you tell me your name. I need to make sure this is the captain and not the boogey man or whatever else the fuck is giving you nightmares.” 

Hongjoong laughed, and the sound was haunting as he approached her again. 

“I don’t think you understand just the position you’ve put yourself in. So allow me to state it in  _ layman’s terms _ , I’m  ** _pissed off_ ** .” 

Hyuna’s hand twitched, a wild look crossed her face as she floated ever so slightly off of the ground, the air crackling around her. 

“Well, hello mr. ‘pissed off’, I’m Hyuna, and that’s not the answer I was looking for.” 

The two went at it once more, craters appearing in the ground from the amount of power being thrown around. The lightning fell more frequently, each one getting closer and closer to striking Hongjoong. 

He seemed unbothered, weaving in and out of the strikes like an animal, running through the woods. The pillars of lightning connected earth and sky, all while Hongjoong threw more water dragons in Hyuna’s direction. He remained unbothered by the ones she deflected, his body tight with tension. 

** _-. . .-_ **

Dawn remained unphased when Yeosang glared at him, snatching him by the collar and bringing their faces together. The normally shy and mild mannered cook looked as panicked as he was enraged. growling at Dawn, his tails and ears out and bristled in anger. 

“You’re going to stop this immediately or I’ll burn you to a crisp myself.” 

Dawn pinched the bridge of his nose at the threat, having been told several times-to no avail-to stop the fight. 

“For the  _ last _ time-”

**“Let them fight.”**

To everyone’s surprise, Whiro’s voice caught their attention. Once again, he was hovering out of Jongho’s shadow, his arms crossed and his features smug as he watched the two of them fight. Jongho was about to tell him off and force him back onto his skin, but he paused when the fractured god sent him a small ‘ _ trust me _ ’ look. 

Oh. That was new. 

He closed his mouth and let Whiro speak, keeping a neutral mask on to disguise his genuine curiosity. 

**“Look at her. This is the first time I’ve seen her on the defensive as much as she has been. She hides it well with the flashy bravado and showy abilities, but even a child can see she’s getting desperate.” **

Dawn stiffened, looking back at the fight to see Hyuna’s smile faltering as she struggled to keep up with Hongjoong’s seemingly never ending attacks. A few of them caught her off guard, with dragons biting into her midsection and throwing her hard to the ground before she was swirled up in a whirlpool, tossed around by the very man she had granted the powers. 

Dawn pursed his lips. Whiro smirked. 

**“Even the lightning is a sign of her desperation. Look at the girls over there.”** he pointed his thumb over in the direction of the other two Hyunas, finding the younger one looking perplexed, while the older one clutched her crystal ball hard, searching the inside as if even she couldn’t see the contents. 

They watched Hyuna throw herself out of the whirlpool, landing on the ground before she looked up, enraged. The sky lit up in a blinding white. The crystal ball in front of the old Hyuna cracked and shattered. 

The sound of the thunderclap startled all of the men except Whiro as Hongjoong was struck directly, the ground singeing from the force of the lightning Hyuna brought down on him. 

Jongho’s lips parted in horror as he moved to join the others, but Whiro tugged at his sleeve, drawing his attention as he quietly talked to him in his mind, much like how Geb did with Yunho. 

**“The short stack is a lot more resilient than you think.”**

Jongho looked over once they were no longer blinded, his eyes wide as he saw Hongjoong still on his feet, his hair smoking and his clothing torn. He looked up and a cold chill ran through all their spines at the dark fury in his eyes. 

Whiro chuckled. 

**“This is gonna be fun to watch.”**

** _-. . . -_ **

Hyuna stepped away, her eyes wide as Hongjoong raised his hand, a large electrified dragon rising from behind him. Her lips parted in shock at the fact he was still standing at all, let alone still using his powers so strongly. 

“W-what…?”

“My name.”

She looked away from the large water dragon down to Hongjoong’s face, unconsciously stepping away from him as the dragon split into two more, just as large inside, holding onto electricity that she could see spark and pulse through them as they roared. Hongjoong took a single step forward, and the ground cratered below him as he did so, the jade in his eyes seemingly brighter after he was struck by her lightning. 

Hyuna tensed. 

“Hold on...wait a second, Captain-”

“My name. It’s Kim Hongjoong. And you’ve made a  ** _grave _ ** mistake bringing my boys into this.” 

The simmering rage in his voice struck a chord with Hyuna, and for the first time since the altercation started, the woman showed an emotion other than wild joy and smugness;

Pure terror. 

Hongjoong flicked his wrist, the three dragons flew at her. Hyuna fell onto her ass and panicked, knowing the blow would not be pleasant, and given the captain’s rage and tenacity, most likely wouldn’t stop just there. 

She  _ may _ have poked the bear a bit too much. 

“D-Dawn-!”

She closed her eyes, throwing her hands up over her face to try and brace for the blow.

The world exploded around her in an instant, water blowing harshly at either side of her. The sound of electricity was nearly deafening. She shook, hesitantly opening her eyes after a moment to find Dawn hovering over her, his arms around her body and his back towards where the blow came from. 

In front of them, was a massive monolith that took the brunt of the attack. 

It was a thick stone, wrapped in a coating of ice that chipped off from the blow, alongside an outer layer of metal that smouldered from the lightning like the ground did. Thick ropes of darkness kept all of them sturdy, and Hyuna looked up to see Yunho standing with his palm flat against the back of the monolith, Seonghwa, Wooyoung, and Jongho clinging to him tightly. The water from the dragons dispersed, flying through the air and soaking their clothing and bangs as they stayed where they were, just in case there was another attempt. 

Across from them, Hongjoong was wrapped up in an embrace, his face tucked into San’s neck while Yeosang and Mingi sandwiched him in. 

“We’re okay. Breathe, Cap. we’re okay.” 

It took a moment, but slowly the rain began to lighten to a light drizzle. He looked up at them, his eyes slowly going from jade, to electric blue, to their normal brown color. He cupped San’s face, checking his cheeks and pressing his hand to his chest. 

He felt around until he felt the stone from his compass, just slightly under his clothing. Mingi and Yeosang let him do the same to them before he relaxed, the rain stopping completely as he showered them all with kisses. 

“Oh my gods, I...I thought she hurt you for real-” 

“It was an illusion, don’t worry.” Mingi smiled cheerfully, though there was a small flash of annoyance and anger in his eyes that only San and Yeosang caught, as their Captain was busy burying his face into the tall man’s shoulder, nuzzling him like a puppy that just found its owner after a long journey. 

Back with Hyuna, the four men that blocked the blow stood to their full height as the illusion began to fade around them completely. The destroyed clifftop gave way to  _ Utopia’s  _ familiar deck, and as the four ran over to embrace their worn out captain, Dawn kept his eyes on his own lover. 

His lips pursed as he noticed the faraway, shell-shocked look still on her face. 

A single drop of moisture ran down from her cheek, collecting on her chin before it dove off, splashing to her slightly trembling thighs, staring in front of her, over his shoulder.

“You idiot.” he sighed as he pulled her into his own embrace, burying his nose in her hair and holding her close. 

Hyuna set trembling hands around his frame and continued to stare at the pirates before her.

**-x-**

“So, because of the intense sudden, and constant release of epinephrine, and the strain and trauma from the fight, the latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, gluteal sulcus, and bicep femoris all have intense tears to them."

Yunho hummed, the triangle over his eye fading as he finished looking Hongjoong over. The silence in the room was telling, and he lifted his head, finding seven pairs of absolutely lost eyes on him. 

"Yunho, please, I can barely read as it is, you expect me to know what any of that means by name?" Mingi huffed, his brows pinching up together. Yunho snorted slightly before he cleared his throat. 

“Hongjoong released so much adrenaline during that fight with Hyuna, and extended strain on his body from the adrenaline release, taking attacks from her, and using so much of his power has left him with a series of muscle tears. Most notably, along his back, abdominal region, the small junction at the underside of his buttocks where his thigh begins, and also he pulled a couple muscles in his hamstring areas. So...he’ll be bedridden for a few days until he can heal up. Thankfully, because of our powers, it shouldn’t take him more than a few days. Had he have still been a mortal, he would be immoble for weeks, probably.” 

The boys looked down at Hongjoong as he rested in the bed. After all the blood had settled and his heart rate slowed down from the altercation, the captain found walking to be a painful experience. His muscles locked up and after some back and forth with Yunho, he was banished to bed rest until he felt better. 

“Don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”

It did little to reassure them, but Yunho had all but pushed all of them out, telling them all they needed to get their rest as well and that he would stay up tirelessly making sure Hongjoong wasn’t in any form of discomfort. 

As they walked out and separated, San stayed beside Seonghwa and Yeosang, noticing the two ex princes exchange a look before they walked out of Yunho’s room. There was a spark of an emotion San had only seen in Seonghwa’s eyes when he went into ‘military prince’ mode, but he would admit he was a bit startled to see Yeosang had that same look of restrained rage in his eyes. 

So he followed them, kissing Wooyoung on the cheek and telling him to head back with Mingi and Jongho first. The smaller of the two men rubbed his eye, smiling at him before he nodded and walked on with the men in question. 

As San appeared beside Seonghwa and Yeosang, both of them sent him a small look, but neither made any move to tell him to leave. 

They walked in silence until they came up from below the deck, finding the unspoken person in question; Hyuna. 

She had an arm wrapped around Dawn’s shoulder, speaking in a language even Seonghwa didn’t know as she limped. He responded, his brows pinched together in concern before he shook his head, pulling out a single, coal-colored feather. 

“Hold.” 

Seonghwa’s voice was chilling as he stopped in front of them, his arms crossed over his chest. Yeosang and San stood at either side of him. Hyuna rose her head, her onyx black hair being braided back into a French braid crown. Seonghwa’s eyes narrowed, cold steel staring back into unbothered hazel. 

“Our captain is bed ridden because of your games. Do you really not know anything about the power you frivolously give people? If violence is how you choose to solve your problems, I’ll be more than happy to take his place next time. I have more than I few things I’d like to get off my chest with you, you distrustful-”

Hyuna rose her finger, shushing the angered prince casually. 

“Let’s cut this rant short and get to the point. I’m not here to please you. You can hate me, distrust me, the like. The fact of the matter is, you’re alive because of me, are you not? Did your captain not use the very power I gave you to save you and keep you alive? What about you, little one?” She looked at San, who leered at her, but she was unbothered, despite the displeased settle in Dawn’s jaw. 

If a fight broke out, there was no way she’d be able to fight. He’d have to take all three of the men. 

Despite this, she continued. 

“Your silence is telling. You may not like my methods, but they worked, did they not? Now, either threaten me properly, or move aside. I have other business to tend to.” 

Seonghwa flared in anger, but surprisingly, it was Yeosang that pushed him aside, standing before Hyuna, his eyes glowing a strong tiger orange color. She didn’t flinch, but he spoke anyway, the anger making his lisp more prominent. 

“Your pseudo confidence has been, and will continue to be your downfall. You may have given him some power, and that may have led to all of us being together, but the very power you gave him almost broke every bone in your body because you’re so confident that you cannot be taken down. You can say whatever you want to us in order to make yourself feel like you’re some big bad woman in control, but the fact of the matter is I can see through you. Having lived with my sisters and mother all through my life, I can say with confidence that _ I can see through your bullshit _ . Out there on that illusion field you created, you were just a scared little girl, and had we not have stepped in, who knows what Hongjoong would have done to you.” 

Hyuna inhaled sharply and clenched her teeth and Dawn stepped in front of her, his gaze neutral, but Yeosang could tell by the purple gleam to them, he would fight if it came to it. 

“We’re leaving.”

There was a finality in his voice as he bent down, picking Hyuna up in a piggyback position, walking past the three pirates. 

Hyuna tucked her head into his shoulder and didn’t say a word to them as the two of them disappeared in a flurry of feathers and fog. 

The three men stayed where they were before San looked over at Yeosang. The cook rubbed his arm, his lips pursed as a conflicted look crossed his face. 

“Sorry, Hwa...I talked over you and-”

Seonghwa lifted his chin, pressing a kiss to his lips before he smiled lazily. 

“I couldn’t have said any of that better myself, baby. Come, we should get some rest. Today has been a day, for sure.” He ran a hand through his blonde hair and San tossed his arms over the two of them. 

“I call the middle.”

“Captain's quarters?”

“ _ Someone _ has to keep the sheets warm.” 

The three of them walked off to the quarters, some of the tension leaving their shoulders.

** _-x1 week later-_ **

“I want you to take over the title of Captain for a month.”

Seonghwa blinked.

Once, twice.

“Pardon?”

Hongjoong ran his hand through his mullet, his eyes out on the ocean as he spoke, his voice carrying off with the wind. 

“I feel out of touch with my own crew. I hate how tense I’ve been, and I’m trying to fix it. My mom...my mom once, when she got in a big blowout argument with Daniel, she stepped down as captain for a month. She worked with the crew, did the hard labor to reacquaint herself with her family, and said that if we’d still take her as captain when the month was up, if she’d proven herself as a reliable worker and Daniel didn’t mind switching back, she would be capitan again.”

Seonghwa pursed his lips, opening them to reject, when he saw the adamant look in Hongjoong’s eyes. Hesitantly, he nodded, straightening his back. Hongjoong smiled gratefully, pushing away from the taffrail and giving him Jihyo’s compass. 

“Thank you, Hwa. I’ll be going to help Mingi and the others with the cargo, then. Let me know if you need me to do anything...Capitan.” 

Hongjoong kissed him, the wind ruffling their clothes before he went to leave, jogging to greet Sana and Momo as they waited across the deck. 

“Aye, lad, chosen to get back to your roots, huh? Well, don’t think we’ll go easy on ya!” Sana slapped him in the back and nodded towards the hold and Hongjoong laughed, following them under. Momo glanced back and forth between them before running over to Seonghwa. 

“Don’t worry about him, lad. He needs this for a bit. You’re familiar with leading, this month should be a no brainer. Just leave Cap’n to us and we’ll have him back to his normal self in no time.” She smiled at him and winked before she ran back to Hongjoong and Sana.

Seonghwa watched them before he closed his eyes. 

For the first time in his life, the prince didn’t feel as qualified to lead as the person before him. 

-x2 Weeks Laterx-

“You’re stressed.” 

Seonghwa looked up, a pair of glasses perched on his nose, his leg crossed over the other as he bounced and bobbed his foot, surveying the reports of the cargo and maps in front of him. 

Yunho greeted him, his hands in his pockets as he stepped into the Captain’s quarters. Hongjoong had slept in the hold for the past week or so, sharing quarters with the other crew members, or Mingi and Jongho on days the two weren't sharing quarters with the others. That often left Seonghwa to his own devices as they sailed. 

Seonghwa watched him close the door, settling the papers down on the desk. 

“I just- I still don’t understand, I suppose? He didn’t do anything wrong.”

“It’s not a matter of right and wrong. It’s because of his sense of leadership.” 

Seonghwa pressed his lips together as Yuho spoke, watching the taller man peek out of the widow of the quarters. 

In the deck below was Hongjoong, his shirt long gone as he hefted up a barrel full of something. Despite his size and stature, Hongjoong was a strong man and he followed close behind Mingi, obeying his orders without hesitation as the boatswain told him where to put the barrel below the deck. 

Yunho pulled the curtain over the window once more and looked over at Seonghwa, sighing lightly at the perplexed look on his face. 

He crossed the distance between the two of them, pressing his palms flat against the desk and leaning into Seonghwa’s space. 

“He’s been showing a bit of...less than great leadership qualities lately, at least in his opinion. Making us fight him, making us worry about him after the fight-” Seonghwa’s nostrils flared slightly, but Yunho simply rose a finger to calm him before he even started. 

“In Hongjoong’s mind, he needs to get back to his ‘normal’ self. Now that he’s all but decided the dream was nothing, he feels he needs to redeem himself and make it up to the others for how he’s been acting. To be a proper leader, is to know when you’ve grown out of touch with those who follow your lead.” 

Seonghwa looked away from him, still looking conflicted. A small smile crossed Yunho’s face and he leaned in even more, his breath ghosting over Seonghwa’s neck. 

“Right now, my current captain is stressed out. In my expert opinion, I think I’m the perfect one qualified to help you...destress.” 

Seonghwa arched a blonde brow, his lips pressed together as he fought the urge to smirk at the clear flirtations. 

“I didn’t know you were qualified for psychological aide, as well, doctor.”

“For you and the others, I like to think I’m a well rounded professional.” 

The two stared at each other for a beat of silence before Seonghwa laced his long fingers into Yunho’s chocolate hair, pulling him down roughly for a kiss. 

The normally neat blonde didn’t bat a lash as Yunho swiped the papers off the table, keeping their lips sealed in a sloppy kiss. 

Large hands trailed underneath worn clothing, and in a matter of minutes, Seonghwa was naked, his cheeks flushed as two vines wrapped around his thighs, spreading them lewdly as Yunho lapped at his cock. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back as he felt the warmth of Yunho’s mouth engulf his cock. 

He moved to buck his hips upwards, but the vines tightened around his thighs, keeping him still as Yunho messily bobbed his head, drool running down his chin the harder Seonghwa’s cock got in his mouth. 

“Y-Yunho-”

He arched his back off of the desk, his eyelids fluttering as he felt more vines wrap around his frame, circling around his wrists and keeping them bound above his head. Yunho popped his lips off, rolling his tongue flat along his cockhead, catching some of his precum on his tongue.

“What would my captain like me to do?” He teased, his voice a low husk as he ran his palm over Seonghwa’s balls. 

The prince bit his lip, looking him in the eyes before he let his head fall back against the oak of the desk, leaving his body fully presented for Yunho. 

“Do whatever you want.” 

There was a small needy tone in his voice, and a smile crossed Yunho’s face as he kissed up Seonghwa’s lean body until he reached his lips, his eyes dark as he tilted his head. 

“Is that what you want, Captain Seonghwa? To not be in control anymore?” 

Seonghwa shuddered, moving to reach for Yunho before he realized his hands were still bound. Yunho cut him some slack, loosening the vines just enough for Seonghwa to wrap his arms around his neck, moaning into his lips as he pressed their heated bodies together. 

“Don’t call me captain, just...just Hwa, please.” 

Yunho didn’t question it, nodding once and moving his lips to his neck, nibbling and kissing at his pulse. He pulled Seonghwa closer to the edge of the table, running his fingers between his legs, rolling them over Seonghwa’s pucker. 

“Tell me what you want, Seonghwa.”

“I want you to fuck me, Yunho.”

Yunho kissed him again, running his hand through Seonghwa’s hair before he pulled roughly. Seonghwa let out a sharp gasp and Yunho made him look him in the eyes. 

“I have to prep you. Do you mind?” He tilted his head and Seonghwa felt something slick against his hole, he looked down once he smelled something sweet, finding Yunho had summoned a thinner vine. It had a bead of nectar dribbling from the tip of it and the ex prince looked up at Yunho curiously. 

“Is...it safe?”

“Seonghwa, I’m a doctor, do you think I would put something inside of you I hadn’t confirmed was safe first?” 

“Yunho, what are you doing in your room when we’re not around?” He chuckled before he shifted, nodding. Yunho kissed the corner of his lips as the vine slicked up Seonghwa’s entrance. He let Seonghwa’s hands go, smiling at the way the older man sealed their lips together as the nectar coated vine pushed into him. 

Yunho swallowed down the moan that the action caused, pushing the vine in and out of Seonghwa, gently making it thicker over time to properly stretch Seonghwa open. 

In a matter of minutes, Seonghwa’s back arched up again, a whimper leaving his lips as the vine brushed against his prostate. 

“Yunho-!”

“Such a slut, Seonghwa.” the words slipped out of Yunho’s mouth before he could catch himself, and part of him was ready to reel it back in and apologize for the degradation, but Seonghwa clenched around the vine inside of him, a shudder racking his body. 

Oh?

Yunho tilted his head, a small smile falling on his face as he stared at Seonghwa with half lidded eyes as he slid the vine in and out of him faster. 

“Look at you. I bet you’d cum just like this, whimpering all splayed out on this table, fucked out and by my vines without ever getting my cock, huh?”

Seonghwa’s eyes fluttered as the tip of the vines continued to stroke his prostate, sweat rolling down his abdomen and temple as Yunho caught his chin, making him look up at him despite his eyes rolling back. 

“Such a selfish man, Seonghwa~ Don’t I get to have fun too?”

Seonghwa looked up at him, running his tongue over his lips before he laughed lowly. 

“If you want something wet to fuck so bad, my mouth is avalible.” 

Yunho’s eyes darkened and he picked Seonghwa up effortlessly, caressing his cheek before planting a firm slap to it, smiling coyly at the gasp that left his lips. 

“If my little Seonghwa wants me to be rough with him, I can happily oblige.” he cooed, settling Seonghwa on his hands and knees, the vine still curling and thrusting in and out of him as Yunho fisted his hand into his hair, thrusting into his mouth the moment Seonghwa sent him a heated look and stuck his tongue out, running it up the length of his cock. 

He wasted no time, thrusting into Seonghwa’s mouth and matching the pace of his vine, keeping his grip firm in Seonghwa’s hair. Seonghwa closed his eyes, letting himself go as Yunho stuffed both of his holes. 

It wasn’t often the ex prince relinquished so much control, but now he felt euphoric as Yunho slid his sizeable cock past his lips, pulling out before he could gag around him, but going  _ just  _ a bit deeper each time until he held Seonghwa down, caressing his cheeks as he rolled his eyes up to look at him, tears streaking his cheeks from the strain. At one point, the temporary captain made his tongue slightly colder than usual, groaning in delight at the shiver that ran though Yunho’s body at the dual sensation of Seonghwa’s chilly tongue and the rest of his hot mouth. 

“You look so pretty like this, Seonghwa. Your mouth feels so good.” 

Seonghwa keened, spittle connecting Yunho’s cock to his lips as he pulled out of his mouth. Yunho slapped his cock against Seonghwa’s tongue a few times before lifting his face. 

“Are you ready?”

Seonghwa nodded. 

“Do you still want me to be rough?”

The spark in Seonghwa’s eyes was enough of an answer, in Yunho’s opinion. 

The sound of Seonghwa’s groans and cries would’ve caught the attention of anyone walking by the cabin minutes later, had they had walked past the captain’s quarters. The blonde’s face was screwed up in pleasure, his head on Yunho’s shoulder as the larger man held him in his lap, thrusting into him hard. They had since moved from the desk to the bed located in the quarters.

“Harder, h-harder please-”

Yunho kissed the back of his head before his lips brushed against his ear. 

“I hope you’re flexible, Hwa.” 

Before Seonghwa could respond, Yunho lifted both of his legs, hooking his hands behind the back of Seonghwa’s head and leaving him fully exposed and prone. His eyes widened as he looked up at his reflection in the mirror across from him, his breath catching at how debauched he looked. 

“Fuck me.” the words left his lips before he even realized, swiping his tongue across his lips as he looked at Yunho’s cock, twitching and red just under his ass. There was a gentle kiss to his neck before Yunho lifted his hips, his thigh muscles tensing with every thrust as he resumed his hard pace from before. 

Seonghwa whimpered, his arms gripping at the headboard of the bed below them. Yunho’s biceps flexed slightly as he held him still, his breath coming out as hot growls against the Mediterranean man’s head. 

Seonghwa was holding himself together, and then Yunho began speaking again. 

“Look at yourself, my lovely Hwa. Maybe I should have called the others in, to watch you and how pretty you look falling apart and giving yourself up to me. Which do you like better? My cock or my vines?” he teased, chuckling as Seonghwa rolled his hips down as much as he could while being held in the position. More of Yunho’s vines caressed his inner thighs as he closed his eyes, his lips parted in a perfect ‘o’. 

“Y-Your cock, your cock, your-”

Yunho let his legs go, catching him around the waist before he could fall forward. He moved Seonghwa aside, setting him on his back and sliding back into him in one, hard thrust, putting his palms at either side of Seonghwa’s head as he rolled his hips down.

One of Seonghwa’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, blunt nails biting into the top part of Yunho’s tattoos. That drew a pleasured hiss from the doctor as he looked into his eyes, a flicker of pride going off in his body at the way Seonghwa practically melted below him. 

The bed creaked in protest from the rigorous thrusts, and Yunho could tell Seonghwa was close by the way the blonde trembled, his voice raising an octave as he wrapped one of his long legs around his waist. 

What caught him by surprise was the shaky hand that grabbed Yunho’s, leading it away from the sheets and settling it over Seonghwa’s slightly damp throat. 

Yunho looked him in the eyes, watching the almost shy way Seonghwa averted his gaze, flexing his fingers around Yunho’s so the message was clear. 

' _ Choke me. _ '

Yunho sat up, using his free hand to hold Seonghwa’s left hand as he squeezed his throat, dark brown eyes swirling with lust as he quickened his pace, determined to bring him and his temporary captain over the edge. 

Seonghwa let out a pleased whimper, his cock leaking against his abdomen as Yunho held him in place, speaking in a language he, for once, didn't know. 

_ "Look at my good slut. Are you close?" _

Seonghwa whimpered pathetically below him, opening his mouth to respond to what he thought was a question. Yunho cut him off by tightening his grip on his throat ever so slightly, his eyes half lidded as he watched Seonghwa tremble below him. 

_ "My handsome boy. That's good, give yourself to me." _

The blonde’s normally perfect hair was matted to his head with sweat as he clawed at Yunho, his lips and thighs trembling as he tried to hold himself back from cumming. 

Yunho noticed. 

"Ah, no no. You're gonna cum for me, Mars. Look me in the eyes and cum for me. Now."

The sharp thrusts he punctuated each word with, the look in his eyes, and the firm grip on Seonghwa’s neck was enough to push the blonde over the edge. 

His back arched up, his heated body pressing against Yunho’s as he clawed down his back, leaving red ribbons along his tattooed skin as his cock twitched between them. Thick streaks of milk-colored cum painted Seonghwa’s abs as he clung onto Yunho for dear life, shaky whimpers leaving his mouth. 

Yunho slowed his thrusts, moving his hand away from his throat to his chin, lifting his head to press a kiss to his lips, groaning quietly as he slowly fucked his cum into Seonghwa’s clenching hole, keeping him close as the blonde moaned into his kiss.

Minutes passed and Yunho pulled out of him, smiling fondly at the weak groan Seonghwa let out, laying splayed out in the bed with cum dribbling down the crack of his ass as he caught his breath. 

He looked gorgeous. 

Yunho peppered him in kisses until he turned his head, kissing him gently as they finally calmed down. When he broke apart, he tucked some of Seonghwa’s hair behind his ear and hummed. 

“I never expected you to be the type to like being choked.”

“I never expected to have nectar in my ass and enjoy it, so I think today has been a learning experience for both of us, no?”

Yunho snorted and the two of them began laughing, the tension leaving their shoulders as they laid in each other’s arms until they decided to get up and wash off, joining the rest of the crew shortly after they finished washing up. 

The wind blew the tails of Yunho’s coat as he stood beside Seonghwa, watching as Hongjoong sat down to rest between Mingi and Sana, eating an orange from Yeosang’s little tree. The smaller man looked up at Seonghwa and Yunho, smiling gently and waving. 

Yunho glanced at Seonghwa out of the corner of his eyes, watching as the blonde smiled back, lifting his hand for a gentle wave. 

The doctor chuckled and closed his eyes. 

They’d be fine.

**-** 🦞🐟🦀 **-**

“Captain Park Seonghwa.”

The blonde stood with his hands behind his back, his grey eyes looking down as Daniel came to his side. The man watched as Hongjoong brought up a huge bubble of water from the ocean, holding it still as Jongho and Wooyoung speared the fish inside, bringing them down where Yeosang and San waited, ready to descale them and got them. 

Since San couldn’t use his powers as much as the others during daily life aboard the boat, he had gotten extremely proficient with all kinds of weapons, with knives and blades being his favorite. San’s birthday was fast approaching and the man had asked Yeosang to make him a large seafood dinner for the event.

“Aye, what is it?” 

“The month Hongjoong asked for is nearly over. What will you do?”

A gentle summer breeze blew their bangs and Seonghwa watched as Hongjoong jumped into the ocean with a splash after taking his boots and shirt off. A minute passed and he came back with a larger bubble, laughing merrily as he presented the sealife to the others. San perked when he saw the crabs and shrimp, all but cheering when he saw the large lobsters Jongho yanked out of the bubble. 

“I love ya!” He beamed, tossing some of them into a large pot Woo had set onto the deck for the crustaceans. Hongjoong laughed merrily. 

“More?”

“One more, gotta make sure everyone can eat enough for seconds or maybe thirds.” Yeosang told them. San smiled happily. 

“Yeo’s trying to fatten me up!”

“It’s your birthday. I’m gonna make sure you eat well. Hongjoong-” Yeosang politely motioned to the ocean and Hongjoong nodded, diving back in. 

From above, Seonghwa’s gaze softened. 

He’d forgotten to respond, but Daniel took to look on his face as an answer, regardless. 

He chuckled and pat Seonghwa on the back before he left him alone. 

-💫🌠-

“You asked to see me?” 

Seonghwa nodded, turning as Hongjoong emerged from a shower. His hair was still damp as he looked up at the blonde captain, a curious sparkle in his eyes. Seonghwa’s gaze softened and he pressed a kiss to his full lips before he placed a familiar worn out compass into his hands. 

Hongjoong looked down at it before he looked up, his lips parting. 

“ _ Utopia _ is yours to lead, Hongjoong. I am more than qualified to lead, but I think we both know who really should be the Captain.” Seonghwa left no room for him to protest, cupping Hongjoong’s face and looking down at him. 

“I’d much rather follow and support you. You were born to lead us, and you know we’d follow you anywhere. So, do you accept?” Seonghwa didn’t move his face away, smiling gently when Hongjoong placed one hand over one of his that was on his cheek. He leaned into the touch and his lips quirked. 

“You really like being my First Mate that much?”

A small chuckle.

“Being your right hand man is a roll that just seems to work well with me, it seems.” 

Hongjoong leaned up to kiss him, holding his mother’s compass in one of his hands as he brushed noses with Seonghwa.

“When you put it like that, I have no choice but to accept.”

Seonghwa chuckled and nestled his face in the crook of Hongjoong’s neck. 

“Welcome home, captain.” 

The two stayed in each other’s arms for a few minutes before they went up to the deck, finding some of the crew members stargazing. Hongjoong looked over them with a fond smile as Seonghwa stood slightly behind him, resting his chin on his head as Yunho pointed up at a constellation. 

Hongjoong held Seonghwa’s hands around his waist, enjoying his presence. Before he could catch himself, Seonghwa muttered something into Hongjoong’s hair. The smaller man let out a small inhale before he laced his fingers with Seonghwa’s.

_ “Captain Jihyo would be proud, Hongjoong.”  _

_ -x- _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


** _“E h e h e h e h.”_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wisteria-Symbolizes Long life and sometimes immortality, as well as paitience, endurance, and victory over hardships  
Blue Lotuses-the spirit's conquest over the senses, intelligence, and wisdom  
Purple Water Lilies-Power  
Orange Lilies-Hatred, Pride, Disdain  
Purple nd Orange Petunias-Resentment and Anger (petunias are actually kinda weird with flower langauages so some liberties were taken with these two oop)  
Snapdragons-Deception  
Black Roses & Asphodel- Both symbols of Death.  
there we are~  
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please review and since I very likely won't have an update before the comeback at the end of the month, happy early comeback!


	9. Ninth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content Tws for:  
*Main Character Death (though, this one is a technicality. I can explain more in the end notes, but be aware.)  
Slight Mysoginist Language  
Graphic Violence and Blood  
Mild Body Horror  
Potential Triggering of Trypophobia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to self promo myself too, so please feel free to follow my  
[Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com)  
My new [Muse Blog](https://atiny-crew-musings.tumblr.com/) (you can ask the fic characters questions! People seem to adore Whiro and Boatswain Mingi the most hehe)  
and feel free to check out my tumblr masterlist with [Character Analyses](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com/post/190853611066/the-following-is-a-mlist-for-the-analyses-of-some=) that I'll continue working on alongside this work.  
Since the last chapter, the analyses for San, Mingi, and Jongho have went up. Mingi and Jongho's have some commissioned art so feel free to drop by and check it out and give some love to the artists that made my vision of the boys come to life!
> 
> Thank you for reading my author's notes, sorry for making them so long today, and please enjoy and review!

_ “O-Ow!” _

_ “Listen, lad. Either you sit still or I’ll rip the whole lot of it from your head.” _

_ Hongjoong pouted, sitting still as Jihyo combed through his hair. He was between her legs, sitting on an old weathered crate as she sat perched on a barrel, her eyes half-lidded as she ran a wooden comb through his locks. She hit another snag and he cringed, sucking in a sharp breath. _

_ She sighed and tilted her head, watching as a chunk of sandy brown hair fell to the deck below. _

_ “Didn’t I tell ye to properly look after yourself? You’ll be bald before twenty at this rate, ya little sea dog.” She teased. Hongjoong bit his lips, his small fists clenching as he looked at the deck. _

_ Captain Jihyo noticed his silence and tilted her head. _

_ “Oh? No response?” _

_ “I...Never learned how. Normally I just let it go, it never got this bad before.” He muttered. Jihyo stared at him for a moment before she sighed, straightening his head once more as she dipped the comb in a small bucket of water she had at her side, her hand a little bit gentler this time as she combed through his hair over and over again, detangling it. _

_ “So...you said you were an orphan. How have you been taking care of yourself this whole time, then?” _

_ Hongjoong pursed his lips, looking down before he sighed. _

_ “I lived in an orphanage. I’m kind of small, so I wasn’t able to hold my own well, so I ran away to be a port hand. It was hard, no one from the orphanage came to look for me. One day, I saw this really pretty ship in the sea and decided I needed to get away. No one would miss me if I disappeared, so at least I could go somewhere over the horizon.” _

_ Jihyo looked down at the child, watching as he swung his feet. He didn’t seem too dismayed by what he’d said, but the captain couldn’t help but feel her lips pull down into a frown. _

_ “Do ye even know how old you are?” _

_ Hongjoong paused. _

_ “Uh...ten? I think? I don’t know. The caregiver-Mrs. Lovelace-didn’t care much for keeping track. My mom...told her how long she had me and then. Left. Mrs. Lovelace always told us we were one year older on new years day. So I think I’m ten.” He hummed. Jihyo’s brows furrowed. _

_ “Do...you not know your own birthday?” _

_ Hongjoong shakes his head, responding with a small ‘nope’ while popping the p and Jihyo decides that’s not good enough. _

_ “Oi! Daniel, what day is it?” She called the First Mate as he discussed something with Nayeon. He looked up from across the deck and Hongjoong could see his brows furrowing before he checked a small notepad he always kept on himself. _

_ “It's November 7th, Cap.” _

_ Jihyo nodded, dipping her fingers into a worn-out jar with something sweet-smelling inside. Hongjoong blinked as she began running her fingers through his detangled hair. _

_ “That’s your birthday now, kid. November 7th. Happy 11th birthday, Hongjoong. Your present is me combing this damn rat’s nest. I won’t be doing it next time.” She muttered, gently pulling his hair up into a ponytail. _

_ “What matters the most is that we’re your new family. Don’t even think about your life before this crew. You’re one of us now.” _

_ Hongjoong looked back at her, his eyes watering without notice. _

_ “Cap-” _

_ Jihyo cringed and put a finger over his lips. _

_ “Yah yah! No crying or any of that! Ugh, get back to work! Go away!” She pressed a hand to his forehead as he tried to hug her, a blubbering mess. _

_ “I have a birthday! I have a birthday! I’ve never had a birthday before!” _

_ “Argh! Daniel!! Get the lad before I keelhaul ‘im!” _

_ -⚔- _

_ Hongjoong stood beside Chaeyoung and Jeongyeon as Jihyo paced around a man who refused to meet their gaze. She grit her teeth, yanking his hair back to look him in the eyes. He cringed and eyes narrowed. _

_ “You paid us to deliver you to the next harbor safely, what is this?!” She snapped, looking at the ship approaching on the horizon. They had a red flag upwards, and Hongjoong kept glancing back at the approaching ship anxiously. _

_ He’d never been in a naval battle before. _

_ This...was terrifying. Were they going to die out here? _

_ Jihyo kicked the man down and leered at him, the heel of her boot settled against his neck as he sputtered. _

_ “A woman should learn her place. I don’t know how many foolish men you and your group of charlatan wenches have tricked into giving you such freedom, but you all will receive exactly what you deserve.” _

_ Jihyo’s lip curled and she pressed harder on his neck, ignoring his squirming as she looked upwards towards her crew. _

_ “Run a shot across the bow!” She ordered, and Hongjoong stayed in place as the crew members around him began scrambling. His legs shook as he watched Jihyo pull a pistol from her hip, tilting her head as she looked down at the man. _

_ “You may kill me, but that crew coming for you will prevail. You and this godforsaken crew will be no more!” He snapped, trying to spit at her. It failed and landed back on himself and Jihyo scoffed. _

_ “That crew over there will meet you at the bottom of Davy Jones' locker, you rat. None of you will live long enough to tell another soul about this. Dead men tell no tales.” _

_ The man opened his mouth to speak when a shot rang out, followed by another. Hongjoong jolted, but his vision went dark as a warm, roughened hand covered his eyes. He was turned around, his heart pounding and his eyes wide as he looked up to find Daniel had been the one to come to his side. _

_ “Daniel-” _

_ “Pirate life isn’t pretty, lad. But I’m not sure someone so young is ready to see all of that.” He hummed, keeping a firm grip on Hongjoong’s shoulder as he tried to turn around. Sana rushed past them as the ship’s cannons fired, nearly knocking Hongjoong off of his feet, had Daniel not have pulled him closer. She seemed unphased by the sudden motion, muttering a quick “everyone is in position, Cap’n!” before she scurried up the ratlines, situating herself in the crow’s nest. _

_ “They’re still comin’!” _

_ “Let them.” _

_ The sound of boots on wood drew Hongjoong’s attention as Jihyo walked past them, her jaw clenched and her chin pointed upwards as her clothing billowed in the wind behind her. The feather attached to her tricorn bobbed with every movement as she crossed the deck, standing near the bowsprit. She slammed her foot onto the wood, her voice booming. _

_ “FIRE! Give no quarter!” _

_ Daniel watched his captain for a moment before he turned to Hongjoong, opening his mouth to order the child to go below the deck and stay in the crew’s quarters. _

_ He was met with a defiant stare and Hongjoong standing firmly on the deck. _

_ “Tell me how I can help. This is my family, what kind of man would I be if I hid away while my family was in danger?” _

_ Daniel blinked owlishly, going to remind Hongjoong he was only twelve, but instead, he ran a hand through his hair and nodded towards the stairs that lead below the deck. _

_ “A man, huh? Very well. Follow me, lad. You’re gonna learn to use the cannons today. Try not to get yourself blown up, I already have one person to mop up off this deck.” _

_ -🎼🎶- _

_ Hongjoong sat still as Jihyo combed his hair, rough, yet deliberate fingers working oil through the locks that had become quite long since he joined the crew. The now thirteen-year-old wanted to bring up how she had told him two years ago she wouldn’t comb his hair ever again for him, but he kept the comment to himself. _

_ Truth be told, this was the closest he’d ever gotten to a mother’s touch in his life, and as rugged and crass as Jihyo was, Hongjoong had quickly become attached to the female pirate. _

_ As she worked coconut oil into his locks, the sound of her idly humming filled his ears. Hongjoong closed his eyes, enjoying the moment. When she finished, Jihyo lightly tapped his shoulder for him to stand and she let out a small tut when he did. _

_ “Aye, you must be goin’ through puberty, lad. Finally becoming a man, if that height is anything to go by. Remember, you may be getting taller than your old cap’n, but lose that respect and I’ll take your knees out myself.” she teased. Hongjoong laughed, knowing the threat was as empty as the idea of him disrespecting anyone on this crew. He followed Jihyo as she walked to the taffrail, watching the waves dance together as they sailed. _

_ “ _ _ No wonder _

_ It's still dark _

_ After all _

_ Time will solve it _

_ Why am I always like this? _

_ I'm always cheating on myself. Don't _

_ Don't make me worse _

_ I just need one word.” _

_ Hongjoong looked down at Captain Jihyo as she began to sing under her breath, faraway eyes staring at the horizon. _

_ “What I want someone to say to me _

_ Even if it's a lie _

_ ‘You don't have to worry.’ _

_ ‘You're doing great.’ _

_ ‘Just keep it up. Just like you do now.’ _

_ No matter what some people say _

_ No matter what some people hate _

_ No matter what the things that make you sick“ _

_ Hongjoong closed his eyes. He’d heard this song before. Jihyo sang it all the time when she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. Hongjoong let his captain sing, keeping his comments to himself. Jihyo wasn’t the type of person to easily accept compliments, and Hongjoong feared she would stop if he told her her voice was beautiful. _

_ It really was….so beautiful. _

_ So instead, he let his foot tap lightly, and for a few moments, it was only those two and the Utopia in the entire ocean, no, the entire world. _

_ “Just keep it up _

_ So everyone can see _

_ Just keep it up more _

_ For the world to hear _

_ Just keep it up _

_ Sometimes I don't feel like it _

_ But I just keep it up _

_ Just keep it up _

_ Just keep it up” _

_ -⚓- _

Hongjoong opened his eyes, feeling wetness on his cheek. He gently pressed his fingers to his eyes, realizing he had cried in his sleep. As he sat up, he hissed ever so slightly, feeling the scratches on his back from the night before protesting the move. 

Yeah, he needed to have a conversation with San about holding back, he thought as he looked down at the sleeping man in question. 

San’s bare chest and neck were covered in bites, and his bangs fell in front of his face as he inhaled and exhaled quietly. Hongjoong felt his heart flutter ever so slightly. 

Okay. Maybe he would skip that conversation. He couldn’t be mad at any of them, anyway. He’d probably fully heal by the next morning. 

Hongjoong tucked a piece of hair behind San’s ear, but the motion woke the Sailing Master, and suddenly Hongjoong had a pair of cat-like eyes peering at him. He smiled bashfully, muttering a quick ‘sorry for waking you’ before he sat up to give San some space. The younger pirate stopped him by sliding his hand to the back of Hongjoong’s neck. He pulled him down to press a kiss to his nose before tilting his head. 

“You look like you’ve been crying. Are you alright? Bad dreams?” he inquired. Hongjoong shook his head, smoothing down San’s wayward locks before kissing the top of his head. 

“Not bad. I just...had a dream about my mother.” He hummed. San frowned, sitting up and looking at him with slight concern settled in his brow. Hongjoong laughed and moved so they were sitting beside each other. 

“I’m okay, really. It’s really just some memories. It’s nice, listening to her voice. I could hear her, clear as day.” he cooed, closing his eyes with a small smile as he let his head rest against the wooden headboard. San watched him for a moment before he looked down at his hands. 

“Tell...tell me about Captain Jihyo. What made her so great? What about her makes you speak so fondly about her?” He muttered, and Hongjoong opened his eyes, picking up on the slightly perplexed tone in San’s voice. The slightly younger immortal seemingly couldn’t wrap his head around conversations with the others when it came to being affectionate and happily reminiscing about their guardians.

With how he and Yeosang were treated by their own respective parents, Hongjoong didn’t blame him. Yeosang at least had Shiber and the caretakers in the palace to look after him. 

San had...no one. At least, no one he talked about openly.

Hongjoong hummed and laced his fingers with San, his eyes pointed up towards the ceiling, rubbing his thumb along the back of San’s hand. 

“My mother...was probably the first person who ever properly ‘nurtured’ me, if that makes sense. She wasn’t as gentle as how Hwa describes Queen Dahlia, or Yunho when he talks about Miss Mei, but Captain Jihyo taught me what it meant to not just survive, but _ live _. She wasn’t the gentlest, not in the slightest. She would curse like a sailor, rough house with me and other crew members all the same, even call me out when I was slacking off. I have this neat little scar on my thigh from a roughhousing session with her, actually. She never really cut me a break.” Hongjoong laughed good-naturedly despite the confused settle in San’s brow, but he kept talking. 

“But she did everything she needed to do out of love. She never treated me differently, even though I was an outsider, even though I was some snot-nosed kid. I once asked her, when I was older, why she became a pirate. It’s already a dangerous occupation, but even more so to be a pirate AND a woman. She would be killed in an instant if anyone found out. Her whole crew would be executed if caught. So why go through all the danger, y’know?” He hummed before standing up, moving to the dresser. San watched him reach for a wooden comb. It was a peculiar pink color that caught his attention.

It was a decent size, fitting perfectly in the palm of his hand as he ran it through his sandy hair, staring at his reflection in a polished mirror Seonghwa had bought them at the last port because he "_ refused to keep staring at his reflection through ice and dirty mirrors, hmph! _"

San stood and walked to his side, taking in the small engravings on the comb. There were butterflies carved into one of the edges, with flowers and beautiful leaves right beside them. Hongjoong gently placed the comb back in its spot on the dresser, alongside an old compass with a crack through the glass. 

San looked at the items before looking at Hongjoong’s side profile. 

  
  


"So...why _ did _ she become a pirate?"

"Freedom. Plus she won a bet."

San blinked in surprise at the second one and tilted his head. Hongjoong laughed and motioned for San to follow him as they began their day. 

"She never told me the full story, but she escaped from the house she was working as a personal servant in because she couldn't take the pretentiousness anymore and when she did, she donned stolen clothing from the head of the house and disguised herself as a man and slipped into a bar one evening. She found a man drunk off his ass, boasting loudly about his pirate ship, and she challenged him to a game of cards. If she won, he would let her onto the ship. If she lost, she would pay off his entire tab. Naturally, she didn’t have any money.” the two of them paused as Mingi ran by, holding a barrel with his wind as Daniel and Sana quietly trailed behind, talking quietly amongst themselves.

The two greeted Hongjoong and San before turning a corner and disappearing. Hongjoong continued. 

"She won. And because she did, she was allowed to be part of the crew. The old captain was too drunk to realize she was a woman, and his first mate didn't say a word. He was curious to find out why this woman was trying so hard to be a pirate. It's not like it's a secret our life is dangerous. Nor is it a secret that women aren't usually welcomed. But he let curiosity pull at him. And that's how my mother became a pirate. That first mate of the old captain, he became hers when the captain died and she was voted to become the new captain after sailing aboard for 5 years." He explained, watching a sea bird fly by. 

San blinked. 

"Daniel…?"

"Daniel." Hongjoong confirmed. San pursed his lips. 

"So he was the old Captain's first mate. And _ then _ Jihyo's. And then _ yours _ before Seonghwa? And then he just...stepped down? Why did he never become the new captain?"

Hongjoong looked over the rail, a thoughtful sound leaving his lips as Yeosang and two clones he'd made of himself rushed by, handing the awakening crew members mini 'breakfast pies', as he called it. He always made sure the crew was well fed before and after a hard day out at sea. 

Before he got too lost in thoughts about the cheerful cook, he looked back at San. 

"Daniel has always went where his heart took him. He supports the people he loves and this ship with his life. But he always felt like his role as a support was stronger than to fully lead. He supports the Captains of the _ Utopia _ and should she ever be without a captain, heavens forbid, then he'll step up to be that for her. Though, I doubt that will be necessary. After all, you guys have me." Hongjoong smiled and San chuckled ever so slightly. 

"Does that make him your father? Since Jihyo is your mother?"

Hongjoong blinked. 

He genuinely felt caught off guard and that much showed on his face. San frowned immediately and went to apologize for prying, when the brunette spoke. 

"I've...never referred to him as such. Or even thought about it. I've never considered anyone to be a parent to me except for Captain Jihyo. I wonder…" Hongjoong frowned, tapping his chin while San watched him. 

"You...have a really complex way you hold relationships with people. It's not bad or anything, I'm just...having trouble understanding. I've never met someone who treated their family the way most of you speak about yours. I've never had anyone be close enough to consider family until I came here. It's...strange. I still feel I have a lot to learn." He admitted, rubbing his arm. Hongjoong pulled him into his arms and kissed him lightly. 

"That's alright, San. My mother once told me something when I was younger; _ “What matters the most is that we’re your new family. Don’t even think about your life before this crew. You’re one of us now.” _ She taught me to do anything to care and protect the people I love, and part of that is making sure they’re not being left behind. _ " _

Hongjoong kissed San as a gentle, slightly chilled breeze blew between the two of them, ruffling their clothes and hair. When they pulled away, San couldn't help the small smile on his face.

"I wish I had someone like Captain Jihyo when I was being raised. I wish I could tell her what a fine job she did raising you." 

Hongjoong blushed before he laughed and kissed San’s head.

“You flatter me. Come, let’s get the day started. The sun’s already risen high in the sky.” He mused, looking at the sky before he adjusted his clothing and moved to make the morning announcements to the crew. San trailed slightly behind him, watching every step the captain took.

The crew noticed him and turned with large smiles on their faces, with some waving and some greeting them verbally. San stuck his hands in his pocket and chuckled lightly, moving to join Wooyoung as Hongjoong began to speak.

-🏺-

“I really appreciate you giving me the time to rest and make my decision.” 

Seonghwa stood with his hand on his hip, smiling as they stood in Delphi. Daniel had politely asked that they rest for a month, and at the end of the month, he’d decide if he was still fit to continue with sailing with them. 

It wasn’t until recently that he had opened up about becoming exceedingly homesick after losing Jihyo and all of the pirates agreed it was in the man’s best interest if they all just settled their sea adventures for a moment and give him time to catch his breath. 

He had been a pillar to the _ Utopia _’s success and growth all these years. The least the crew could do for him is let him rest. 

“I’ll work on us getting lodging. It shouldn’t be hard, just...hang tight and try not to piss anyone off and start any fights or do anything stupid while I’m gone.” Seonghwa warned them. He was one of the only ones in their groups that could speak Greek. Yunho hummed and followed him, the two of them chattering amongst themselves as the rest of the crew members broke off into different groups. 

Hongjoong ended up by himself, humming as he wandered through the streets of Delphi. He took in the hustle and bustle, walking through rows and rows of food stands until the sound of distant music caught his attention. Blinking, he looked around, turning his body to try and locate the sound. 

The busy chatter of the people of Delphi nearly drowned out the faint sound, but after 15 minutes of walking, he stopped when he noticed a middle-aged man sitting underneath a laurel tree. He had a small string instrument in his hand that he gently guided his fingers across, plucking them with his eyes closed. 

Hongjoong watched him for a moment before he slowly approached him, making sure to keep his steps gentle. The man paused, and Hongjoong stilled as a pair of piercing greyish blue eyes looked up at him. 

He raised his hands in a disarming nature, smiling softly. 

“Sorry to interrupt you, I was just coming closer to listen to your music. I heard it from over by the shops.” He told him gently before realizing the man may not be able to understand him. He rubbed his hands against his pants, cursing lightly. 

“Shit, I think only Hwa and Yeosang know how to speak Greek...um...M-May I listen?” Hongjoong spoke slower, motioning to the instrument in the man’s hands before mimicking his playing and then pointing to his ears. The man looked at him with half-lidded, uninterested eyes before he turned his attention back to the instrument, strumming once more. 

Hongjoong stood there awkwardly, unsure if he was intruding, and the man spoke finally. 

“You can sit. I speak English.” He hummed, his fingers working nonstop on the instrument. Hongjoong startled slightly before blushing in embarrassment, sitting down a few feet away from the man. The man sent him a look every now and again as he played, singing underneath his breath. 

After ten minutes or so, his singing came to a stop and he lifted his head to fully look at Hongjoong, never slowing with his strumming and plucking. 

“You’re not from around here, are you? Who are you?” He inquired. Hongjoong blinked, as he had started daydreaming while listening. He sat up a bit straighter, scratching his head lightly as he chose his answer carefully. 

Not everyone would appreciate him just coming out and telling them he was a pirate. 

“My name is Captain Hongjoong. I’m a sailor.” He smiled after telling the half lie. The man across from him stared at him for a moment before he tutted. 

“You are a pirate, aren’t you?” He inquired. Hongjoong’s eyes grew and the man hummed, satisfied with outing him for what he was, closing his eyes again. 

“I could care less what you are. As long as you don’t interrupt my playing.” He told him stiffly. Hongjoong blinked a few times before he nodded, sitting cross legged in the grass underneath the laurel tree. 

Another ten minutes or so passed before Hongjoong spoke again. 

“Your songs sound beautiful, they seem to have a lot of emotion in them.” Hongjoong complimented. The man snorted quietly, sorrowful eyes fixed on the blades of grass below his legs. 

“Thanks. It’s the sound of pain, loss, and regret.” He told him. Hongjoong frowned and went silent, playing with his fingers as he listened to the man’s sorrowful song. 

Before he realized it, the sun had begun to set and Hongjoong stood, hearing the distant calling of his name. He dusted his pants off and looked back and forth between the town and the musician. The blonde glanced up at him before he nodded towards the town. 

“I believe you’re being called. You should go.” He hummed. Hongjoong nodded, sending him a small smile and reaching into his pocket to pass him a few gold pieces. The man arched a brow at him and Hongjoong stood back to his full height. 

“I did not ask you for any compensation.”

“No, but you let me listen to your music. I can’t just consume content for free and not give anything back, y’know.” He explained. He glanced at the mark on Hongjoong’s wrist before looking at him and shrugging a shoulder. 

“I suppose I can’t argue with that reasoning.” He muttered. Hongjoong sent him a smile before he made his way back into Delphi. 

As he met up with the others, he realized he never got the man’s name.

-💤-

“You can feel free to speak to most of the staff here. They speak English.” Seonghwa informed them as they all worked out sleeping arrangements. Ideally, they’d all be able to share a room, but with eight of them, it was unrealistic and a bit uncomfy, so they usually pulled lots on who would stay with who during their resting periods. 

Hongjoong sat cross-legged on the bed, running his hand through Mingi’s hair as the tall man read quietly under his breath, his eyes wide and doe-like. It was the third book he’d picked up this month, and Hongjoong couldn’t be prouder of him. Mingi hummed as Hongjoong’s nails ran over a particularly sensitive part of his scalp, a hum of satisfaction leaving his lips as his captain focused on that spot.

“I suppose we can draw lots if we’re undecided on who goes where.” Seonghwa hummed. The boys nodded, and ten minutes later, they were broken up. Yunho and Jongho had a room to themselves while San, Wooyoung, and Seonghwa had a room. Yeosang, Hongjoong, and Mingi had the other. 

“Tomorrow we can explore Delphi. It’s a very important area for Grecian people, so I hope you all like a little historical nuance with your stay.” Seonghwa mused, twitching when he heard a chorus of groans come from his left. 

“Wooyoung, San-”

“Why should we stare at a bunch of old rocks when we could be treasure hunting?” San huffed. Seonghwa shot him a look and Yeosang pursed his lips, pulling his hair back into a small ponytail. 

“A lot of towns in Greece are dedicated to the gods and goddesses. I’m not sure we should carelessly run around treasure hunting when there’s a pretty good chance we could be angering some of the gods. I’m not sure how well versed you are in Grecko-Roman Mythologies but I can assure you they don’t take kindly to disrespect. We should tread carefully and do so _ respectfully _.” Seonghwa cautioned. 

“But _ Seonghwa _-”

“No. I’m not taking a thunderbolt up the ass because you all want to be chaotic. Learn something while we rest. Knowledge is fun, too.”

“I don’t care about dusty ass rocks, Hwa. Nothing you can say will make me care about rocks.” San huffed flatly. Yunho hummed for a moment before his triangle flashed over his eye. 

  
  


_ “I beg to differ, Mr. Choi. I think I can find some ways-” _

“Geb please stay out of this.”

_ “...Okay.” _

“Oh, dear. He’s pouting now.” 

A gentle curtain of laughter fell over the men as Yunho’s eye returned to normal. They all talked for a bit longer before they split up into different pairs for the month’s lodging. Mingi and Seonghwa turned in first, with San and Jongho leaving soon after. Wooyoung cheerfully pulled Yeosang along and when the door closed, Yunho hummed, looking over at Hongjoong as he started unpacking things from the little knapsack he had taken with him off of the _ Utopia _ when they docked. 

Mingi had made it for him months ago. 

Yunho watched him take out a small wooden comb and tilted his head as Hongjoong sat in front of the mirror in the room, staring at it for a long while before he smiled softly and began combing his hair, the soft pink wood catching Yunho’s eye. 

“That wood is a really pretty color. I don’t think I’ve seen that comb before, where did you get it from?”

“My mother. I went through some of her possessions while everyone was working the other day and found it again. I’m glad I did. I always loved sitting with her as she combed my hair. It had become a sort of...birthday tradition of ours, to have her comb my hair and sing to me on my birthday. I missed it the past few years since I couldn’t bring myself to go through her items, but I finally did and I’m glad. I’d feel bad if I missed another birthday without combing my hair with mom’s comb.” He teased. 

Yunho smiled at him, though internally he was panicking. 

Hongjoong’s birthday was coming up…?

-x Next Day ☀️x-

The boys cringed as Daniel barked out a laugh at breakfast. 

“None of you know his birthday?” He snorted before another peel of laughter rolled through him. Seonghwa hissed at him and reached to cover his mouth while Jongho pursed his lips. 

“I mean, I’m new, so that’s _ my _ excuse...Plus my birthday just passed and no one said anything to me about the captain’s birthday-”

“We didn’t know. I realize, in my years of being with mon petit putois, we haven’t...celebrated...his birthday...once.”

The group stared at Seonghwa for a long time before Daniel looked at him and the others in disbelief. 

“Wow...ya’ll suck. Anyway, I take it you’re trying to do something for him now?” He inquired, tilting his head as all the boys nodded guiltily. He hummed slightly, watching as Mingi shifted from foot to foot. 

“We’re...not too late, are we?”

“His birthday, or rather, the one we gave him, is November 7th. You have a little less than a month.” Daniel told them helpfully. The seven men exchanged a look with one another before they all darted off to town. 

Their captain hadn’t celebrated his birthday in years, so they all had to make sure this one was one he’d remember for centuries. 

-x-

“You’re back.” 

“I am. May I?” Hongjoong motioned to the spot beside the man and he only shrugged a shoulder, still strumming away.

Hongjoong nodded as he sat down under the laurel tree, listening to the blonde man playing his instrument. The song was different, and Hongjoong could tell there was some anger behind his strums and plucks. He sat cross-legged, watching him for a long moment before he spoke. 

“What kind of stories are you trying to tell today?”

The man’s jaw ticked slightly before he looked up at Hongjoong. 

“Remorse. Anger. Realization.” 

His voice was stiff, and Hongjoong hummed, turning his body fully towards him. 

“May I ask more about why? Or is that too much? I really like your...harp…?” He trailed off in question and the man’s nose curled ever so slightly. 

“It’s a lyre.” 

“Ah, yes. That.” Hongjoong deflated lamely and the man rolled his eyes before he continued his playing. Hongjoong didn’t say anything, slightly flushed with embarrassment at the slip up with the instrument. 

They sat together for a while before the man spoke. 

“My name is Alistair.” He hummed, his fingers plucking away without looking up at Hongjoong. The captain blinked at him before he smiled wide, almost as radiant as the sun itself. 

“I’m-”

“Captain Hongjoong. I recall.” 

Hongjoong smiled wider, happy to be remembered. Alistair continued playing for another half an hour as Hongjoong swayed to and fro beside him. 

“I realize-much too late for my liking-that I am becoming a man much like my father. That would be the reason for the melancholy playing.” He admitted quietly, the tempo of the song slowing down for the first time in the hour Hongjoong had been sitting with him. 

“Is that a bad thing?” He questioned, tilting his head. The man let out a tut.

“My father is a great man. Sometimes. He does some...not great things, however. Honestly, if one were to take the time to delve into it, maybe he’s not as great as I’ve always been led to believe he was, and part of me is afraid to admit that aloud. Then I’d have to look at myself and loathe that I’m becoming like him.” He mumbled. Hongjoong listened intently before he propped his cheek up in his palm, staring at him in interest. 

“Then...don’t become him. You’ve made mistakes, as I’m sure you know we all have done before, too. People do it all the time, that’s just how humans are. You’re doing no one any favors by wallowing in your own self-pity. You know what’s wrong here, you know you’re becoming too much like him. Fix it.” Hongjoong let himself fall back, blades of grass tickling his cheeks as he looked up at the sky. 

Alistair sent him an unreadable look before he closed his eyes and went back to playing. 

“And what about you? What has brought you here, under this old laurel tree in Delphi, listening to a sad old man play instead of being with your crew?” 

Hongjoong covered his eyes with his arm, slowly finding his words. 

He told Alistair a heavily redacted story of his life and how he met his crew members. Naturally, he left out the part about their being women aboard his crew and the immortals and gods part, for safety reasons. 

There was something about sitting in the grass as Alistair played his lyre that seemed to have made both of them want to spill their guts to each other. 

“Captain!”

Alistair was hit with a wave of deja vu as Hongjoong’s voice was called. He looked up, watching as a thick man with peculiar marks along his arms walked over to them in the grass. He sent Alistair a cautious, yet curious look before he looked at the small man in the grass. 

“Captain, Seonghwa told me to look for you. He told me he wants to take us to Delphi’s famous temple or something so we have to plan ahead. Dunno.” He seemed disinterested, shrugging a shoulder. Alistair stared at his arms as he played, his eyebrow quirking ever so slightly at the minuscule, almost undetectable shift of the black lines. 

Interesting. 

** _“I don’t like the way he’s lookin’ at me.”_ **

Jongho ignored Whiro’s voice in his head as Hongjoong stood up, stretching. He let out a content yawn and sent Alistair a smile, going to pay him once more. Alistair watched him for a moment before he let out the smallest of laughs. 

“A stubborn man, aren’t you?”

“You can say that. See you again, Alistair. Get home safe~” Hongjoong waved and followed Jongho out, missing the slightly perplexed look Jongho sent Alistair over Hongjoong’s head. The blonde man went back to playing, seemingly unphased by the stare. 

Jongho put an arm over his shoulder as they walked away. 

-🌌-

“Your mother always wanted to go to Greece. Never worked out quite like she wanted, though.” 

Hongjoong paused mid-sip, looking over at Daniel. The two of them sat outside together under the stars, the ex first mate nursing a glass of wine while Hongjoong held a small clay cup between his palms. Occasionally he would pour himself more water using his powers. 

“Why not?”

“She was always looking for something. She loved the sea, but she always looked towards the horizon like she wanted to chase the sun itself down. She never told us much of what she wanted out of life. Just that she wanted to live free with the wind in her sails and beneath her wings. In a way, you turned out to be just like Jihyo. She really would have been proud of you.” 

Hongjoong’s grip on the cup tightened for a moment before he looked up towards the moon, finding the stars twinkling brightly at him. 

Idly, he wondered what Jihyo would think of his crew. Of his lovers, and the way he’s kept _ Utopia _ sailing strong. 

Would she like the multilingual ex prince he’d made the First Mate? The sarcastic Sailing Master with a crooked smile, or the one with the mischievous look in his eye and the infectious laughter? 

Would she sit down with their Boatswain and listen to him read? Would she challenge their gunner to roughhousing matches? She wasn’t a woman who liked feminine coded things, but maybe she would enjoy a flower crown made by their kind doctor? Which one of the sweets from their darling chef would be her favorite?

He didn’t realize he was crying until Daniel reached over and wiped his cheeks before ruffling his hair. 

“Protect them, Hongjoong. Protect them and this crew, and I know your mother will continue watching over you and us all. You’ve done well. Don’t cry.” he mused, leaning back and going back to his rum. 

The two of them sat together in silence. 

Just outside the door, San quietly listened to the two of them trade stories about Jihyo. He pushed himself off of the doorframe and left after a while, a small smile on his face. 

Maybe he was beginning to understand. 

As he entered his room, he decided to do his absolute best to give Hongjoong an amazing gift. 

-🍫-

“Yeo! What are you doing?!” 

Yeosang jolted, dropping the small glass in his hands onto the counter. His eyes widened, as a loud gasp left his lips, his souffle collapsing from the sudden movement. The grey-eyed prince clenched his fists, looking at Wooyoung with a look that made him deflate just as much as the souffle did. 

“_ What? _” He huffed, running his hand through his hair as he looked at the collapsed chocolate dessert. 

“O-Oh...what were...you doing?” He inquired slowly, feeling flushed with embarrassment as Yeosang walked around his form to start a new batch of batter for it. Yeosang pursed his lips as he moved around the kitchen. With some sweet words (and money), he had talked the chefs into letting him use the kitchen during the late hours of the evening after they closed up. 

“I was _ trying _ to make him a souffle. Or at least, test this new recipe. I want to make sure I give him something he’s never tasted before. This isn’t easy to make so...I kind of need the utmost focus for it, if you don’t mind.” He muttered, cracking some eggs. Wooyoung frowned, slightly dejected. 

“But...he would like anything you made, y’know?” He muttered, trying to lighten the mood. It only made the look on Yeosang’s sour, however. 

“I’ve been here for two years at the very least, and not a single time have I celebrated the captain’s birthday. He saved both me and Shiber’s lives by allowing us on this ship and taking such good care of us. The very least that I can do is go all out for his birthday. He deserves much more than some food like I always do, but that’s the one thing I’m good at, unless I buy a present. I need to do this, I want to see Hongjoong’s face and know he was happy on his birthday because of something I did well for him. No, not just well. I want to go above and beyond for him, so some boring mini pies aren’t gonna cut it.” 

Wooyoung looked at him, his brows pulled up in surprise at the conviction in his voice, and nodded, kissing him briefly before he moved to leave, worrying his thumbnail between his teeth. 

Maybe he should be taking this more seriously, as well.

-🏛-

“Hyung, I found out something from my book!” 

Hongjoong looked behind him as Yunho and Seonghwa led their groups through a worn-out path through some trees. Yunho spoke with Geb as the god gently informed them of the flora surrounding them, seemingly excited to see the new plants. 

Hongjoong tilted his head and Mingi jogged up to him, his glasses perched on his nose as he looked at the words on the book he’d picked up from the market. Thankfully, they had a copy in English, so the man began to excitedly recap for him. 

“The god Apollo, had a lot of lovers, and one of them was a Spartan man named Hyacinthus. The two of them were deeply in love, but there was another man, the west wind Ze...um...Seonghwa-”

“Zephyrus." The older immortal responded without missing a beat, just listening to Mingi retell the story. 

"Right! Zebra-"

"Zephryus, Mingi." Jongho gently corrected, chuckling as his hair blew in the wind, not currently tied in his usual bun. 

"Yeah, sorry," Mingi laughed and continued. "He really was in love with Hyacinthus, and because of that, he decided to go with the shitty 'if I can't have him, no one can' route and he waited until Apollo and Hyacinthus were throwing around something called a discus and then he like, used his wind powers to turn the discus and kill Hyacinthus with it by hitting him in the head with it." 

There was a collective cringe from the men in the group, sans Seonghwa and Yeosang, who knew the tale. 

"There are plenty of artistic representations of the fallout of the strike, with Apollo depicted desperately clinging to his lover. Greek deities are usually patrons of more than just one thing, and Apollo was also the god of medicine. His divine status and his knowledge and powers regarding medicine and healing were not enough to bring his lover back.” Seonghwa added, smiling gratefully at Yunho as he lifted a branch with his powers so the rest of them could walk under it. 

“Yeah, not even something called...am..um...ambrosia?” Mingi looked towards Yeosang for confirmation and the man nodded with a smile. Mingi pumped his fist in small victory and went back to his notes. 

“He tried to give him something called ambrosia, which is some drink that only gods and divine beings can have, to Hyacinthus to bring him back, but none of it worked. Something about it not being able to cure the wounds caused by ‘Fate’ or something.” Mingi flipped the page, a sad look in his eyes, despite the excitement thrumming through him at being able to retell the story. 

“He tried to give up being a god, y’know. He wanted to become mortal like Hyacinthus and die beside him. Of course, he couldn’t do that in the end, so he promised to always remember him with his songs.” 

“Is that the only thing you found out?” 

“Um...Right, from Hyacinthus’ blood, Apollo brought forth flowers, and now we have a flower called a Hyacinth! Isn’t that cool? Really sad and morbid, but cool!” He beamed. Hongjoong blinked at him before smiling as Mingi closed his book, setting it aside in his knapsack. He reached down and took his hand, sending him a proud look. 

“It’s kind of sad, but I’m really proud of you for reading through the book so quickly. I don’t know much about mythology, so I guess you’ll have to be my guide while you read, huh?” He beamed, kissing Mingi’s cheek. The tall boatswain blushed and nodded happily. All of their attention fell to Seonghwa as he began speaking. 

“Greco-Roman mythology is like that. Tragic tales of star crossed lovers, overzealous and competitive gods, innocents being punished, clashing of ideals and egos. Drama upon drama. Makes for great storytelling.” He came to a stop and waited for the others to catch up with him and Yunho as they reached a break in the treeline. 

As they did, their eyes fell upon row upon row of beautiful stone monuments. 

“We’re gonna be here all day, so get comfortable, but welcome to the Temple of Apollo.” 

San resisted the urge to groan, just to annoy Seonghwa, though he seemed interested in the beautiful mountains surrounding them at every side. Wooyoung ran forward, spinning happily as he chattered about never being so high on a mountain before with Yeosang quietly nodding beside him. Jongho trailed behind them, curious to hear more stories about other cultures and their deities. 

Finding out was fun, though he felt like some of the magic had been taken out of it for him by being bonded with one of his own gods. 

Whiro yawned in his head, but he ignored him for now. 

Mingi and Seonghwa were talking about someone else, some god named ‘Zeus’ and his misadventures while Hongjoong looked around, the wind blowing his bangs.

As the sound of Seonghwa’s quiet, yet informative voice sounded off behind him to the boys that were listening, Hongjoong walked ahead, his boots making the gravel crunch beneath his feet with every step.

He could hear the sound of a song being played, far enough that he couldn't tell the exact melody, or why it was so familiar, but close enough that he could hear it being carried by the wind. 

The captain stopped in front of some columns, looking up and finding a swan staring back at him. It was in direct sunlight, though with the way it was positioned, it shielded Hongjoong’s eyes from the rays just behind it. 

It looked...ethereal. 

"You’re kind of high up, aren't you?" He mused playfully. The swan stared at him before letting out a honk and spreading its wings, flying off. Hongjoong watched it go with a small look of wonder on his face. He could still hear the music in his head as he watched the swan disappear on the horizon. 

“Captain! You’re gonna fall behind! C’mon, Mingi is gonna tell us about the Oracle!” Wooyoung’s voice snapped him back to attention, and Hongjoong could swear he heard the music stop all at once the moment he looked away from the swan. 

“Oh? I’m coming, wait for me!” He jogged up to meet with them, staying close as Seonghwa helped Mingi read more from his book. 

The eight of them hiked through the temple and mountains for hours, sharing stories and listening intently, all while the sun shone warmly on them. 

-🌱-

“Have you ever been betrayed by someone you love?”

Hongjoong frowned as he watched Alistair play. He thought to himself for a moment before he shook his head. 

“No...No, I don’t think I have been. My boys are good, y’know. They wouldn’t hurt each other or me.” He reached back and tapped his knuckles against the wood of the tree the two of them were leaning on, just for good measure. Alistair watched the move before he shook his head, chuckling. 

“Would you want revenge on them if they did? If your trust was betrayed by those you love, would you make them suffer?” He followed up, never fully watching Hongjoong as he spoke. Hongjoong shook his head without hesitation. 

“Never. Not me. I trust those men with my life, they’d never betray me and even if I did, I doubt I’d have it in me to want to hurt them.” He spoke honestly as he stared at the older man, analyzing his side profile. 

“Is...that why your songs are so sad?” 

Alistair huffed out a small laugh. 

“That’s why crows are black instead of white, kid. Betrayal and anger.” 

Hongjoong’s brows pinched together in confusion, but Alistair simply shrugged a shoulder, staring at the glass below him. 

With a small huff, Hongjoong let a few minutes of lonesome playing drift between the two of them before he sang, his mother’s song gently filling in the vocal silence between them. 

‘_ Why is my life so dark? _

_ Why, always makes me hard? _

_ A lost heart _

_ The burden on my shoulders _

_ Let's wait a little longer _

_ Even if it's cold _

_ It's gonna rise. Sooner or later _

_ Let's wait and see, alright _

  
  


_ What I want someone to say to me _

_ Even if it's a lie _

_ "You don't have to worry." _

_ "You're doing great." _

_ "Just keep it up. Just like you do now." _

Hongjoong kept singing, even as Alistair’s playing came to a halt. The man watched as Hongjoong swayed from side to side, his fingers tapping against the blades of grass beneath his palms as he continued, remembering his mother’s voice like it was still right in his ear. 

_ ‘No matter what some people say _

_ No matter what some people hate _

_ No matter what the things that make you sick _

_ Just keep it up _

_ So everyone can see _

_ Just keep it up more _

_ For the world to hear _

_ Just keep it up _

_ Sometimes I don't feel like it _

_ But I just keep it up _

_ Just keep it up _

_ Just keep it up’ _

Alistair let out a small chuckle, distracting Hongjoong and making the captain stop with a flush. 

“Ah- Sorry, did I distract you from your playing?” He blushed and scratched his head. Alistair nodded, but then shrugged his shoulders. 

“It matters not. That song you were singing. I’ve never heard it before. I’m assuming it’s from where you came from?” He inquired. Hongjoong shook his head, looking up at the clouds as they rolled by. 

“My mother used to sing it when she needed to give herself a pick-me-up. She really did have the most beautiful voice. I wanted to try and lift you up, since you’re always so sad and brooding. Uh, no offense.” He swiftly apologized, but Alistair graced him with a radiant smile that caught him off guard. 

“No worries. You’re right. I really should...work on that. To think, a pirate is the one talking sense into me.” He chuckled, moving to pluck at his strings once more. Hongjoong pouted and pointed at him slightly. 

“Hey, I’m more than just some pirate. I’m the best pirate this world will ever see.” He pouted. Alistair glanced at his wrist, looking at the tattoo and stone and hummed slightly. 

“That mark on your wrist. It’s a rather cursed looking thing, isn’t it?” He mused. Hongjoong looked at the compass mark and traced over the alexandrite stone with a fond look on his face. 

“You think so? To me, it means the whole world. I wouldn’t be here with my crew and my partners if it weren’t for this mark, believe it or not.” He chuckled. Alistair stared at the stone, watching it change from blue to red depending on how the light hit it as Hongjoong began chattering about things he was learning about Delphi. 

“Yeah. I believe it.”

-🎁-

“How has the gift making thing gone? Have you decided what you’re going to do?” Jongho hummed, leaning against a wall as Mingi paced back and forth in front of him, San, and Yunho. 

“I...None of my projects can be done so quickly without rushing and making them sloppy. My powers don’t exactly help me with crocheting things.” Mingi sighed, sitting down unceremoniously. San pursed his lips toying with a piece of thread from his pants that had become frayed from wear. 

“At least you’re good at something. I don’t have any skills aside from fighting, map making, and navigation. What the hell am I gonna do with that? Punch him in the face and draw him a map to Yunho’s room?” He huffed, running a hand through his hair. 

Yunho gently pet his back in an understanding manner, though he had some conflict settled across his face, as well. 

“Honestly, same? Aside from doctoral work and fighting, what can I do? Make him a bouquet? That’s...so lackluster.” He murmured. Geb rumbled inside of his head and he pouted, tapping his temple. 

“Hush, you know what I mean. If this is the first official birthday gift I’m going to get him, it should be something extraordinary.” He muttered. Geb nodded in understanding from inside of him and Jongho sighed. 

“I mean. I could carve something for him, but I don’t know if he would care as much about all of that. Plus, my father wasn’t the tohunga whakairo, I actually don’t know enough for my carvings to be presentable.” 

**“I could always help.”**

Jongho rolled his eyes. 

“My ass. I know you. You’ll probably carve him a dick or something.” 

**“The audacity. You think I would waste my time carving out just anyone’s dick for our lovely captain?”**

“Whiro-”

**“I’d give him a carving of ** ** _our_ ** ** dick, Jongho. Don’t be foolish.”**

“Gods, I hate you. I really do.”

**“Love you too, buttercup.”**

Yunho couldn’t stifle the laugh that bubbled out of his chest at the banter while the rest of the boys joined in, momentarily forgetting about the original worries that evening. 

-🥮-

Sweat rolled down his temple as he sat cross-legged in the forest. His eyes shone a bright red as he focused in front of him, watching as the metal rod he’d had Wooyoung made for him rotated gently over one of his illusions, a gentle heat baking batter as he dipped the rolling dessert into a tub with more batter. 

“You’re doing well, Yeosang. He’ll love it.” He whispered to himself, his fox tail swaying behind him as he baked. It was late and he was deep in the woods, so hopefully, no one would stumble across him. 

Honestly, he didn’t care. As long as he perfected the food he’d be making for Hongjoong, nothing else mattered. He closed his eyes and exhaled, gently raising the temperature of the heat he was using to bake the cake. 

In a few hours, he could add the glaze and pack it up before retreating from the mountains, slicing it up before letting the crew members-sans Hongjoong-taste the cake and give him feedback on how he could improve. 

A small mouse watched him from the bushes, blue eyes trained on him as he worked from dusk till dawn. When he got up and collected his things, the mouse disappeared into the brush.

-🐀-

“Your birthday is coming soon?” 

“Yep. Everyone is stressing out about buying or making things for me and it’s honestly as endearing as it is a waste. That’s why I didn’t tell any of them my birthday. I’m fine not celebrating. Every day is a celebration when I’m with my crew.” 

Alistair couldn’t hold back the snort that left his lips. Hongjoong blushed, scratching his cheek as the two of them leaned against the laurel tree. The song today was different from what Alistair usually played, and it lifted the mood between them as the sun shone over Delphi, creating a gentle, autumn warmth that made the captain feel at peace. 

Maybe he should pick up his own instrument. He underestimated how calming the music could be. 

Maybe one of the boys could play music? All of them could sing with varying ranges so maybe-

“I guess an early present is in order.” 

Hongjoong blinked before he opened his mouth to protest. Before he could, Alistair held up a finger, shushing him quietly. 

“It’s nothing materialistic. It’s more....me allowing you to go to some places very close to me. Do not fret. While you’re here in Delphi, you and your crew-_ only them _-may go to the places I speak of. I trust you’ll not bring anyone else there.” He sent Hongjoong a look in warning, though it fell instantly, as Hongjoong shook his head instantly. 

“I would never!” 

Alistair chuckled and began giving him directions as he played. Hongjoong scrambled to pull a pen out of his knapsack, scrawling down the directions. 

A small laurel leaf fell from the tree, landing in Alistair’s blonde hair as he spoke. 

-🍃💐-

“How...did you find this place…?”

“A little birdie told me.” 

Hongjoong triumphantly wadded through the woods, walking with the confidence of someone who had walked this path time and time again. That clearly wasn’t the case, but as they emerged from the treeline after he’d pushed aside some vines, he tucked the small piece of paper in his hand away, smiling wide as they walked into an orchard, seemingly hidden from the outside world. 

The boys looked on in awe as Yunho stepped forward, excitement practically rolling off of him in waves. Geb seemed excited too, if the glowing triangle that appeared over Yunho’s eye was anything to go by. 

“**Oh my, wow okay, I don’t mean to get so excited but-”**

“No no, by all means. You are our plant experts.” Hongjoong gently gestured forward, a smile on his face. Yunho beamed wide and continued, switching between allowing Geb to speak through him, and speaking for himself. 

“Okay, see these pretty pink trees? These are actually crabapple trees. My eomma used to love putting these into drinks. Had to grab a lot of them at a time, but it was _so _worth it…” He gently plucked a small crabapple from the tree, raising it to his lips before he bashfully held it out to Hongjoong. 

“Ah- Do you mind-”

“Sure, here you go.” Hongjoong raised his hand, washing it off before watching Yunho try the fruit. Stars exploded behind his eyes as he looked back at the tree. 

“I’ve never tasted one so delicious-”

“Oh! I wanna taste!”

“Me too!”

“You said your mother used to cook with them?”

Hongjoong smiled as Wooyoung, Mingi, and Yeosang walked forward, trying more of the small apples. They were mindful not to take more than two each, not knowing exactly if they belonged to someone or not, but not wanting to scarf down all of the small fruits. 

Their captain appreciated them not having to be told to respect this place. He could tell it was important to Alistair, and the last thing he wanted was for them to ruin the small grove he seemed to be attached to. 

“Oh look, there are some sloes over there!” Yunho pointed to a shrub with blue fruit growing from it while San walked slightly past them, his eyes lighting up when he recognized some strawberries. 

“Oh finally, normal fruit.” He bent down, plucking some of them off of the shrub. 

As the boys wandered around, Hongjoong gently removed his shoes, walking through the grove with a serene smile on his face. He was careful not to step directly on the flowers below him, enjoying the sweet fragrance all of the flora let out. 

He walked past some red, pink, and yellow gladiolus flowers as Seonghwa and Jongho tried some of the olives growing from some of the olive trees. 

There were about four in the orchard, and Seonghwa walked some over to Yeosang, feeding him an olive and smiling when the smaller ex prince’s eyes lit up. 

“_ Oh _-”

“I know, right? Maybe we could take a few of them home and you can make me some olive bread?” He winked. Yeosang smiled and followed him back to one of the trees, chattering in Greek together as they planned some Mediterranean dinner. 

Hongjoong walked to the end of the orchard, blinking when he heard rushing water. He followed the sound, the blades of grass tickling his toes as he stopped by a particularly large crabapple tree. It was thicker than the others and Hongjoong continued listening, finding the sound of the water was closer, though the crabapple tree seemed to be at the end of the orchard, as behind it, was simply a large stone. 

A keen caught his attention and he looked to his right, immediately on guard as he found a blue-eyed wolf staring at him. He moved, backing away but the wolf never made a move towards him.

They stared at each other before the wolf turned around, heading towards the rock. 

Hongjoong blinked in surprise as it ducked under some hanging plants, and Hongjoong noticed it was another secluded entrance. He followed the wolf, catching Jongho’s attention as his captain disappeared behind a curtain of vines. 

“Cap’n?”

His perplexed voice caught the attention of the other boys and they all followed Hongjoong. When it noticed the other boys, the wolf took off running and Hongjoong followed, his feet slightly digging into the dirt. The wolf leaped out of the vines on the other side and Hongjoong tossed back the curtain of vines. 

“Why are we chasing a wolf through the woods-_ Oh holy shit _.”

Hongjoong stumbled as Yeosang flew into his back. They stood in a field of hyacinths that fed its way towards the shore of a pool. As they stood in the flowers, their eyes trailed up, finding a waterfall above the pool of crystal clear water. 

Hongjoong looked down, noticing the wolf was no longer around, but he turned back towards the water and smiled, peeling his shirt off. 

“What are you doing?! It’s the end of October, it’s cold!”

“We’re immortals, Seonghwa. What is a cold gonna do to me? Aren't you our resident frosty first mate? Plus, Yeosang can keep us warm.” He beamed, popping open the button to his trousers. Seonghwa pursed his lips, but any complaints he had were ignored as a shirt flew his way, landing on his face. 

“San!”

“Hurry up, I wanna swim!” 

Hongjoong stripped down naked first, dipping into the water and ducking under the surface. He was pleased to find the water was deep under the waterfall, and as he swam down, he gaged it was a good 20 feet or more down and a smile came to his face as he propelled himself up to the surface with his powers, popping up and smiling at the awaiting boys. 

“It’s pretty deep. So it’s safe for diving!” 

The boys exchanged a look with one another before delighted naked chaos broke out. 

Seonghwa sighed and folded up everyone’s clothes, sitting down in the hyacinths, watching them with a fond smile.

Hongjoong dove deep into the water as the boys played above him. The water caressed his skin, moving alongside him as he looked around curiously. The sun was still shining bright and the area they’d discovered had a break in the canopy, so the sunlight illuminated much of the water. 

As he stayed below, he realized he hadn’t had to resurface and laughed, watching the bubbles float up from the move. He supposed it was a perk of his powers, being able to breathe underwater. He was grateful, it meant he got to explore more without having to resurface. 

Something golden caught his eye and he squinted, grabbing it. He brought it closer to his face, using a strong burst of water to push him back to the surface. 

Mingi yelped in surprise when Hongjoong popped up beside him, the water rippling from the move as Hongjoong lifted the golden item and tilted his head. 

“Whatcha got?” San hummed, hugging him from behind and kissing at his neck as his feline eyes eyed the necklace. Hongjoong laughed, tickled by the move before he lowered it, placing it on his palm. 

“I found it underwater. I’m not quite sure what it is-”

“Hm? It looks like a sun disk.” 

Hongjoong and San looked over at Jongho when he spoke and he blinked at them. 

“What? I’ve been reading a bit on things, too.” He huffed, looking away. Whiro chuckled and snuck out of Jongho’s arms, splashing him before cackling as he put himself back on the gunner’s arms. 

The two began to banter like usual and Hongjoong eyed the golden charm. With a shrug, he handed it off to Seonghwa before he went back to his merry swimming. 

Yeosang closed his eyes as he, Yunho, and Wooyoung sat on the edge of the water. Yunho closed his eyes, floating on the back of a giant lilypad he’d created, a small leaf over his eyes as he let the sunbeam on his body. Wooyoung and Yeosang sat together as Yeosang warmed the water, relaxing in it as it began to bubble around them. 

“Someone should invent this… it’s like a bath but bubbly...bubble bath? No. Not everyone has a Yeosang so...warm tub? Hot...tub?” Wooyoung hummed, tilting his head while Yeosang laughed, kissing his shoulder as he sat in his lap. 

“Hot tub? That sounds like a normal tub. People take hot baths in tubs, you know.” He teased. Wooyoung turned in his lap, pinching his cheeks and pouting at him. 

As the boys splashed around, Seonghwa gently took the small satchel he had secured around his waist off, looking at the boys with a content smile on his face. It had been a while since he’d drawn anything, but he figured now as good a time as any. 

He still hadn’t figured out what to give Hongjoong. 

Shaking his head and putting those thoughts aside, for now, he began to draw after he’d watched Hongjoong resurface from the water. 

Some flowers had floated by and gently stuck to his neck and chest when he resurfaced and Seonghwa felt his breath catch slightly as Hongjoong brushed his chestnut-colored bangs back, his eyes full of love and joy as Mingi and Jongho began to play water horse with Yunho and Wooyoung after he had freed himself from the warm side of the natural pool, going over to play and splash around. Yeosang swam over curiously, his ears still situated atop his head. 

Seonghwa leaned against the lone laurel tree that was amongst the hyacinths and drew the captain, all with a small smile on his face. 

They stayed in the pool until the sun began to set, casting a gentle pink, orange, and yellow glow on all of them as they finally emerged from the water, pruned up, but satisfied and happy. 

Seonghwa tucked his sketchbook away before anyone could see it, smiling as they all dried off via Yeosang and made their way out of the hidden falls and orchard all together. As they walked back, most of them cuddled close to Yeosang for warmth, Hongjoong toyed with the sun disk charm. 

“How did you even find this place? I thought Daniel said you had never spent time in Greece except for when Yeosang was mourning Shiber?” Seonghwa inquired as they got farther and farther from the hidden area. 

One would have to know where they were going to get there, that was for sure. The trees in the area looked near-identical, and it would be easy to get lost or walk right past the entrance if you didn’t know it was there. 

Hongjoong smiled. 

“A friend told me.” He beamed, shivering, and moving closer to Yeosang. 

Seonghwa, unbothered by the cold dip in temperature, watched his back before he chuckled and shook his head. 

“You always find yourself in such strange company, don’t you, captain?”

-...-

“So...does anyone know for sure what they’re doing?” 

The seven of them sat together, nursing plates of some dessert Yeosang had made called pavlova. Mingi, San, and Jongho’s were already gone, while Seonghwa and Yunho took their time eating. Wooyoung was already on his third slice. 

“We have a week left.” Seonghwa reminded them, though that seemed to send the tension spiked between all of them. 

Some of them still had no clue what to do. 

“I’ve already decided the spread I'm going to make for him. I’ve started the sour for my sourdough for the upcoming week and I may ask Hongjoong to take me back to that orchard so I can have some more of those olives. Yunho and Geb can replicate the taste of the berries and fruit, but those olives definitely taste different.” 

Yunho nodded in agreement while Geb rumbled in his head. 

**“It’s strange. I usually can replicate anything unless it's divine.”**

Whiro shifted from Jongho’s arms, and the gunner rolled his eyes and sighed before he could even say anything. 

**“Maybe you’re losing your touch, dusty.”**

**“Why I ** ** _never_ ** **-”**

“Enough. Stop it. We need to focus. As of right now, the only one who has a confirmed gift for Hongjoong is Yeosang. I think that’s pretty pathetic, and I’m talking about myself too here.” San cut in, crossing his arms over his chest. Wooyoung frowned, his brows pinched together while Seonghwa shook his head. 

“And myself. I have a gift in the works, as well. I’ll be painting him a portrait.” 

Everyone stared at him for a moment before San hummed. 

“Right. So that still means five of us need to come up with something for him. Our captain works too hard for us to half ass it. I know he personally doesn’t care for gifts and the like, but I don’t feel right not giving him a present for a _ third _ year in a row. He saved my life, it’s the least I can do.” 

The others nodded and Yeosang gently pet the closest person to him, Jongho. 

“Feel free to let me know if you all need help or my powers. I’ve written out the menu for next week’s feast, so don’t worry about interrupting. I can help.” 

"Do you think we should ask Hyuna? Maybe she knows some good-"

"Absolutely not. I'd rather chew glass than call that woman for any kind of help. Especially after what she pulled last time." Seonghwa spat.

Wooyoung flinched at the frigid tone, but San placed a hand on his back. 

"It's fine. We don't need her help. We got this."

They all nodded and decided to call it for bed for the night, splitting off into their respective groups, a cloud of self-disappointment looming over some more than others. 

-x-

“And then you should have seen the look on their faces when they tried the berries! I’ve never seen people so happy to go foraging!” 

Alistair laughed as he strummed his lyre, the melody upbeat and plucky. Hongjoong excitedly chattered about his day in the hidden orchard before he stopped, snapping his fingers when he remembered something. 

“Do you have any pets?”

“Hm?”

“Pets? Do you have any? There was a wolf there and I thought it would attack us, but it ended up leading us right to the waterfall and it disappeared before I could get a full look at it. I do think it had some peculiar eyes.” He tapped his chin and pursed his lips. Alistair looked at him for a long while before laughing. 

“A wolf? Do you think beasts of the woods are so easily tamed? I am just a man with his lyre. I have tamed no beast of the sort.” He shook his head in disbelief. Hongjoong stared at him before he pouted, playing with a blade of grass. Alistair looked down, noticing the gold sun disk charm dangling from a silver bracelet on Hongjoong’s wrist. 

His lips quired ever so slightly before he jutted his chin out towards the charm. 

“That’s new. Where did you buy that?”

“Oh, it’s funny, actually! I got it while I was diving underwater. I had one of my loves make me a bracelet so I could wear it. It looks rather nice, in my opinion.” He hummed, lifting the bracelet. The sun reflected off of it and Alistair nodded. 

“I agree. It does look nice.” 

He adjusted the strings on his lyre, strumming a song Hongjoong had never heard before. He blinked in surprise, looking over at him as he began to sing. It was Grecian, but the sound of his voice, accompanied by his playing, instantly made Hongjoong’s whole body relax. He watched as Alistair’s fingers danced along the strings, shifting from fast to slow speeds. Hongjoong lost track of time as he watched Alistair play, snapping back into focus when he slowly brought the song to a close. 

“I-”

“Happy birthday, Captain Hongjoong. That is my gift to you.” He spoke. Hongjoong blushed and smiled at him, scratching his head. 

“You didn’t have to-”

“You have to learn to accept the gifts of people who care about you, Captain. Running from affection because you are too bashful to accept it can lead to horrid misunderstandings. If someone cares for you and you enjoy their presence, learn to relinquish a little control and let them show you how they want to make you happy.” He mused, strumming random notes now that the song was over. They still made melodic chords, in Hongjoong’s opinion, but the captain couldn’t help the smile that crossed his face. 

“So….You’re saying you care about me?” 

“If I say no, you won’t believe me regardless, will you?”

“Correct” Hongjoong grinned. Alistair rolled his greyish blue eyes and chuckled. 

“I suppose I’ve gotten fond of the little pirate that so persistently comes to visit me every other day and refuses to listen to me when I say I don’t need you to pay me for my songs. Maybe a smidge. Don’t let it go to your head.” He pointed at Hongjoong as a wild smile and laugh broke out on his face. 

The two of them bantered slightly before Hongjoong fell silent, the wind blowing his bangs as he looked at the town. 

“I’m going to miss this once we go back out to sea.” He hummed. Alistair didn’t say a word, but he nodded, nonetheless. They stayed together for a while before it was time to split apart.

As the two of them stood from the grass and Hongjoong moved to leave, a crow landed on the laurel tree, cawing. Alistair stared at it, his eyes widening marginally before he turned on his heel, taking a few long strides and grabbing Hongjoong’s wrist, startling the man. 

“Hm? What’s wrong?” Hongjoong inquired. Alistair let his wrist go and tucked his lyre under his arm, a conflicted look on his face before he sent Hongjoong a look. 

“Enjoy your birthday, captain. But I have one word of advice for you. Beware that which gives off false light.” 

Hongjoong frowned at the urgency in his voice, but nodded nonetheless. He didn’t take Alistair as a superstitious person, but he didn’t want to seem uncaring of the warning...as unclear and vague as it may be. 

When they separated, Hongjoong took the long way back to the place they were staying at, enjoying the sights around him. 

They’d be leaving Delphi on his birthday. Three days certainly wasn’t enough, in his opinion, but it is what it is.

-🌟-

A bell chimes as a figure enters an old shop. From behind the counter, an old, blind woman rocks in a chair, a hood covering her head as she crooned a low, ‘welcome to our shop…’

The man shuddered and only nodded in response, looking at rows upon rows of miniature statues, clay pots, jewelry, and everything in between. Frustration began to build. There was no time for such small, lackluster gifts. 

“Excuse me? Do you have anything...a little fancier? One of a kind, preferably?” He inquired. The blind woman hummed, tilting her head. 

“Pricilla, assist the man.” 

“Yes, dear sister.” A woman emerged from behind a curtain of beads, her piercing eyes falling onto the man across the counter from her. He shuddered at the scrutinizing look before watching as she crossed the counter, walking towards the back of the store, gesturing for him to follow. 

He did so and she stopped in front of a small box shaped like a treasure chest. She pulled it out of the box and his eyes lit up. 

It was a nice sized rod of sorts, with the handle fitting perfectly in her hand. The top of it was made of textured crystal and was shaped like a globe. A copper protrusion came from the top of it and curled down the side, though what caught his eye was the oddly-shaped hourglass in the center. There was a glittering powder in the hourglass. The shopkeeper’s lips quirked up as she tilted the end of the rod up. 

“Look through here, child.” She urged, ignoring the way he frowned at the child comment. He closed one of his eyes, looking through the bottom and gasping as he saw an explosion of color from the bottom. The rod end of the small staff was a kaleidoscope and he gently took it from her hands, shifting it from left and right and watching as the brown, cream, and rose gold colored fractals shifted with every angle. 

“The highlight is this right here.” She put her thumb over his, pressing down on the small button that was shaped like a keyhole. There was a click and the staff illuminated, shining a soft rosy-colored glow before it shifted to an aqua colored one. 

“This...this is it, I want it. How much?” 

“Three thousand gold.”

“Are you _ insane _?!”

The woman shrugged, placing the rod back in the box and sending him a devilish smile. 

“Too much? You can always help yourself to one of the clay pots or something. The price is as it is.” she taunted before returning it to its spot and moving to go back around the counter. She disappeared behind the curtain and the man stared at the box before sighing and walking back to look around. 

He stayed there for a considerable amount of time before he ultimately left, his eyes set on the _ Utopia _. 

Tucked under his shirt, was the colorful rod. Part of him felt bad stealing from the old blind shopkeep and her sister, but the part of him that wished to see Hongjoong happy overrode all of that. 

Besides, he was a pirate. A little theft here and there never hurt anyone. 

-🏴☠️-

_ “O h? S o m e o n e s e e m s t o h a v e m a d e a _ ** _g r a v e_ ** _ m i s t a k e, h m?” _

_ -☠- _

Hongjoong frowned as he stood under the laurel tree. Alistair was missing today, and there was only a small, blowing hyacinth flower where he usually sat. Hongjoong didn’t recall seeing it there before, but he figured the man just sat covering it. 

A damn shame. He’d grown fond of him over the past month and wanted to properly say goodbye to him. 

He turned on his heel, walking back into the mountains. He and the boys had visited the hidden orchard several times, so he knew the way by now. He stood amongst the flowers, taking in the scene with a small smile on his face. 

His mother really would have liked this place. 

At least, he thinks she would have. 

Hongjoong sat down under one of the crabapple trees, cleaning one of and bringing it to his lips. 

He was awoken to kisses today and Yeosang politely but firmly telling him he needed to leave so he could finish the surprise. Everyone appeared to be readying gifts for him, as they were to set sail around midnight. 

So, they’d lift their sails and leave on his birthday. 

Hongjoong checked the watch on his wrist, finding it was just barely past 3pm. He let his head rest against the crabapple tree, the scent of flowers calming his whole body. 

Maybe he could nap. Just a little. 

A wolf howled in the distance, but Hongjoong paid it no mind. 

-⚡☀️-

**“You have to let me go!”**

**“No.”**

**“Why not?!”**

**“Matter like that are out of your jurisdiction. Let your uncle and your nieces handle issues in their own domain.” **

**“Just this once! Let me go! Uncle doesn’t even care for them and you know it”**

**“No. Sea-based issues have nothing to do with you. If you go, you run the risk of another war. Is it really worth it?”**

**“.....”**

**“Good. Now leave me.”**

-🌊🎁🎂-

Hongjoong laughed as Jongho led him up to the deck, a shadow covering his eyes as he guided him. He stopped when Jongho pulled him back, holding him still. He could feel the _ Utopia _ loving and a small smile came to his face. 

As much as he liked Greece, being out on the ocean was a pirate’s true home. 

“What time is it?” Wooyoung excitedly whispered. Hongjoong snickered as a chorus of ‘shush!!!’ broke out before Seonghwa’s voice cut in. 

“Eleven fifty-nine….It’ll be midnight in three...two...o-”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HONGJOONG!”

Hongjoong jolted as Jongho moved the shadow, revealing the huge spread of food and gifts situated on a large table rooted to the top deck, thanks to Yunho’s powers. Hongjoong’s lips fell open as he walked closer, his eyes glancing around left and right. 

There was a large spread of foods he’d never seen before, and beyond the table, was Yeosang, smiling brightly. His mouth instantly watered as he looked around, realizing everything on the table was fresh. 

“Yeosang-”

“Shh. Thank me when you taste it. Look at your presents first!”

Hongjoong turned his attention to the second table, slowly approaching it. He felt tears water in his eyes as he surveyed it all. 

Sitting in the back was a large painting, carefully designed to look like stained glass. It was made entirely of different shades of blue, and Hongjoong didn’t have to look twice to know what the painting was. 

It was him. A stained glass portrait of him. 

He wiped at his eyes as he picked up the next item, a heavy glass case shaped like a crystal. Inside were small plants, and the closer he looked, he could see there was a small, painted wooden doll on the inside. 

It was him, standing amongst small, glowing plants and flowers. 

The next three presents were beside each other. 

All three of them were resin pieces, with one being a small glass cup. Hongjoong held it up to his face, eyes widening as he saw it was a rather complex piece that looked awfully familiar to the hidden falls in the orchard Alistair had let them go to. The water for the falls looked realistic, along with the mossy rocks at the very top. The resin held a white color to simulate rushing water, which fed downwards to a large pool, and as Hongjoong held it higher, he could see whoever crafted it even put some small flowers at the surface of the ‘water’ and some small fish figurines below the artificial waterline. 

He looked towards the other small piece, smiling when he recognized the crabapple and olive oil trees, the hyacinths, and the gladiolus flowers. 

While the first piece was in a glass cup, the second was in a small cube. It was completely encased, and Hongjoong smiled as he admired the see-through cube made to be a small look-alike. 

He set it down and looked over at the final resin piece and ran his fingers over it. It was the second-largest thing, next to Seonghwa’s painting. It looked to be in a large frame that was placed on its side. Hongjoong took his time delicately running his fingers over the resin.

It was an ocean scene. There were blue waves made from colored resin, going from deep cerulean, all the way to a turquoise color. They even captured the white of the seafoam along the waves, and as his eyes trailed closer to the shore, he ran his fingers over the small shells and rocks that were fixed into the end of the piece. What caught his eye was the model ship in the resin water, his brows pinching together softly as he saw it was _ Utopia _ in her majestic beauty. 

“Don’t cry, mon putois.” Seonghwa handed him a handkerchief and he paused momentarily, wiping his eyes. As he looked down, he found a sheathed short sword. The hilt was made with a familiar pink wood with a glossy finish and Hongjoong’s lip wobbled as he ran his thumb over it. It was the same colored wood as his mother’s comb, and he knew it was the same. 

As he pulled the short sword out, he beamed, seeing intricate engravings in the steel. He ran the tips of his fingers over it, feeling every bump, groove, and curve of it before he held it up, watching it glint in the moonlight. 

“Gorgeous.” He hummed, instantly taking the small dagger he had fastened to his hip off and replacing it with the sword. 

Finally, he got to the small peculiar staff, holding it up to his face. He admired the small details of the staff, even turning it upside down. As he did, he noticed the bottom and closed his left eye, peering into the bottom and gasping at the fractals that shifted around in it. 

As he held the base of the staff, his thumb pressed down and it lit up. He startled at first before looking through the kaleidoscope, a small ‘woah’ leaving his lips as the colors inside changed. When he lowered it, he looked at the button he’d pressed, clicking it again. 

It changed from a rose gold color to an aurora blue. The light illuminated his face. 

_ ‘Beware that which gives off false light.’ _

“They all look wonderful! Let’s eat before I cry on everything.” 

-🌀-

“We should clean up. Who got me what, by the way?” Hongjoong inquired as they began moving the table. 

“We actually did everything independent of one another, so I have no idea, but I made the painting.” He hummed. Hongjoong nodded looking at the small staff in his hand. He opened his mouth to ask who’d got it for him when there was a sigh from in front of him. 

“Ah, so there it is. You really tried to weasel away, huh?” 

Hongjoong looked up, finding two women standing near the bowsprit. His brows furrowed as he looked at them. Immediately, Jongho and Seonghwa were on guard at either side of them, a falcata glinting in the light of the moon as it loomed over the _ Utopia _. Jongho had his mere charoite in his hand, with Whiro shifting on his skin. 

“Woah, you steal from us and then greet us with hostility? How mean.” 

Hongjoong clicked his tongue. 

“Stolen?”

“The staff. That doesn’t belong to you. Any of you. It was stolen, and I believe that’s grounds for punishment, no? Isn’t that right. Charlotte?” the younger of the two women cheered. 

There was a low hissing sound that came from the woman named ‘Charlotte’. 

“Stolen. Stolen, they stole it. Father gave it to us, Pricilla! They stole it!”

The ship began to shake and Pricilla laughed wildly. 

“Of course they did! So we take it back! We sink them and take what’s ours!” 

“Captain-” 

“Humans under the deck. Now!” Hongjoong barked, his eyes glowing electric blue. Charlotte dropped her hood and the eight of them cringed as they saw not a woman, but an amalgam of parts that were _ definitely _not human. 

Her skin was more like hide, with several eyes along her neck. Wooyoung stepped back, terrified as she let out a scream, revealing a serrated row of teeth. The boat shook again as Charlotte turned and dove into the water. Hongjoong furrowed his brow, Pricilla seemed unphased, checking her nails. 

“Enough of this.” Seonghwa stepped forward before he ran full speed at her. She calmly undid the knot to her robe, letting it fall away. As soon as it did, Seonghwa thrust the blade of the falcata at her, hissing in surprise when a dog’s head rushed forward, biting down hard on the blade and stopping it completely. 

“Boo.” She grinned as another dog bit into his midsection and threw him full force at the others. Jongho surged forward, catching him with shadows as Pricilla began to grow before their eyes.instead of legs, she had twelve thick, tentacle-like legs and six feral dog heads sprouting from her waist, snapping wildly. 

“What the fuck _ are _ you?” San spat. Pricilla laughed, petting one of the dogs. 

“Imma monster~”

The _ Utopia _ creaked in protest as it began to spin. Hongjoong ran to the edge of the ship, his eyes widening as he saw a massive whirlpool pulling the _ Utopia _into it. In the rapids, he could see fangs, and he cursed as they began to scrape at the wood of the ship. 

“She’s a monster too! She’s going to sink ‘er!” He screamed. Back on the center deck, Pricilla’s dogs snapped and bit at Yunho as he tried to get close. He cursed and ducked under one, sending a vine around her waist. He started constricting her, but one dog bit him around the torso, snapping it’s long neck and throwing him at Mingi as he tried to send blades of wind her way. The six-foot-tall pirates collided with one another, the wind being knocked out of their lungs as they rolled across the soaked deck. 

Wooyoung took a deep breath, screaming at the top of his lungs. Metal flew towards Pricilla, slicing off one of her legs. 

“YOU BITCH!”

“TAKE ANOTHER ONE!” San barked, using his powers to pull the green blood that oozed from the wound to create a scythe. He spun it and aimed for her neck, cursing when she disappeared into a waterfall of seawater that landed on the deck. It moved quickly, dousing Yeosang in water when he tried to light her on fire. The foxfire flickered and he moved to ignite her when a thick tentacle wrapped around his neck, immediately trying to crush his neck.

While they fought on the deck, Hongjoong grit his teeth and jumped into the ocean, in the center of the swirling whirlpool.

Immediately, the fangs in the whirlpool’s rushing water tried to close in on him, but he swam faster, like a fish in water, using his powers to force the water outwards and keep himself from being bit. 

The sun disk bracelet on his wrist began to shine and he gasped underwater, looking at the bright light before he looked down, seeing past the rushing water. 

Deep in the ocean, those eyes, bloodshot and full of rage, all looked at him. He grit his teeth, noticing the water was being pulled inwards towards a huge, serrated maw. 

“It’s her. She’s the whirlpool.” He hissed before he swam downwards. The light from the bracelet began to fade, but Hongjoong had seen all he needed to see. 

“Helping them?! You wound me!” Pricilla sneered towards the sky before she caught Wooyoung’s blades between her now scaled hands. The more they fought with her, the more they watched her change, noticing even her twelfth leg had begun to grow back, her dogs lashing out more viciously as she threw blasts of magic at them. 

“You’re in _ my _ domain, boys! In the ocean, we are the law!” She sneered, gashing into San’s cheek when he lunged at her. He twisted his head, biting down on her hand and drawing blood. He spit it out into her face, using his powers to harden the blood into a small sharp blade, taking out her eye. 

A visceral scream tore from her throat as she tossed him away, chasing after him with one of her tentacle legs and stabbing him through and through. 

“San!” Wooyoung cried out before screaming as Pricilla threw San into him, slamming the slightly older immortal down ontop of Wooyoung. 

“My eye! My fucking eye!” 

“And we’ll take the other one!” Jongho snapped, letting Whiro rise from his skin. 

Below the surface, Hongjoong swam directly into the center of the whirlpool, shielding himself from the fangs. Once he was certain he was inside of the beast, he brought his hands closer to himself, gathering water before forcing it outwards. 

Pricilla had her hands around Seonghwa’s throat when an explosion of water startled all of them. She tossed Seonghwa away, looking back with wide eyes as chunks of Charlotte’s monstrous form began to rain down from the sky. 

Hongjoong propelled himself out of the water, landing on the deck and leering at her through his bangs, the super moon behind him illuminating the deck. 

“Charlotte…? Char?” She picked up one of the chunks in her clawed hand, her chest heaving.” 

“You should have just taken the staff and left.” Yunho growled, his eyes glowing bright blue as vines appeared around his feet. 

Pricilla stared at the remains of her sister and turned her head, laughing wildly. The waters began to rage again as she rose up, her shoulders shaking. 

“You steal from us, then you kill my sister? The disrespect…” She looked up from her curtain of hair, leering at Hongjoong. 

“Father won’t be happy. Father won’t be happy at all. Look at what he did! This pathetic pirate with that cursed woman’s mark on him! Father, let me take him to the Underworld! Let me rip him to sheds! To hell with immortality!” Pricilla’s legs and dogs began to go wild, slamming down and damaging the ship as she lashed out focusing on Hongjoong. 

He ran past them, blocking them as he got closer. If he could get closer, he could do more damage. 

**‘Oh, it seems you’ve found yourself in a troubling situation, Captain.’**

Hongjoong cursed as he raised his hand, but his powers flickered out. His eyes grew and a dog bit into his arm. 

“Fuck!” He spat out a curse and drew the new blade, stabbing the wild dog head in the neck that attached it to Pricilla, looking around in a panic. 

That voice-

**‘Oh, a true shame it would be. If you had to take this on with none of your powers. None of ** ** _my_ ** ** powers. A true pity.’**

Hongjoong felt his heart race as that familiar voice rattled in his head. 

“You’re not real. You’re not real. You don’t exist. Not now. Not now not now not-”

**‘If not now...when? I come and go as I see fit, Captain.’**

Hongjoong panted, his vision bleeding away from the deck in front of him. In a matter of seconds, he was once again standing in the underwater castle. In front of him, in the throne room, was the mirror image of himself, watching the fight unfold on a small mirror he held in his hand. 

“No. This-”

**‘What? This can’t be? Hm? You think because you had that little spat with the woman, I’m going to come out? The fact that you think she can dictate what I do entertains me. The fact that you think you have control...well that tickles me pink.’**

Hongjoong brought his hand up to attack the double, but his powers didn’t work at all. The man laughed loudly, standing up and descending the stairs until he was in front of Hongjoong. He grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off his feet. 

**‘Give in to me. Give me control, and I’ll rid you of that menace. I would listen, if I were you. You’ve already killed one beastly bastard child of a god. Would you like to go for another?’**

Hongjoong felt his vision fade slightly from the grip, but he grit his teeth, swinging his foot up and kneeing his double directly in the stomach.

When he landed, his world returned to normal and he looked up, panting as he found Seonghwa struggling to hold back the ever raging Priscilla. She had gotten in the water at some point when he was blanked out and as he looked around, he found Wooyoung trapped under a broken part of the mast, blood running out from the corner of his lips as Jongho and Whiro hefted the heavy wood up. 

Yunho had fallen back, creating a thick barrier between him and the conflict to keep Mingi-and Wooyoung, as soon as Jongho rushed him over-away from the fight. From here, Hongjoong could see Mingi biting down on something Yunho handed to him as he seemingly reset his shoulder.

“Yeosang, higher!”

Hongjoong whipped his head around, a large white fox rush past him with San on his back, blood running from the open wound through his stomach as the runes on his face gleamed. His eyes shone their neon pink and green colors as he and Yeosang jumped overboard, running up the now-massive form of Pricilla as she loomed over the ship, screaming bloody murder and striking them and the ship. The hits were wild and off-kilter from her eye being stabbed out

“Hongjoong, back to earth!” Seonghwa snapped. Hongjoong finally located the ex prince, standing on a thick platform of ice just outside the ship as he tried to freeze over the holes Pricilla had put into it. 

_ Utopia _ was sinking. 

Hongjoong snapped back to focus, unaware of the scales that crossed his face, neck, and hands as he rushed over to the monstress. 

He could do this. He took out Charlotte. He could take care of this and they could patch up their wounded. 

**‘Tick tock, tick-tock. If you don’t focus, you could get seriously hurt.’**

Hongjoong threw his hand forward, a blade of water slicing off one of Pricilla’s dog heads completely. It fell into the ocean with a large splash, and she screamed, turning her focus back on Hongjoong as she grabbed both Yeosang and San, crushing them in the fangs of her other heads. 

“They’re all fighting so hard for you, little man? Hm?” She tossed the two of them into the ocean, smiling as Hongjoong’s eyes widened. 

Hongjoong ran to the edge, placing his foot on the taffrail before he dove into the water. He swam past the submerged tentacles and dog heads, grunting as he took a few bites to his body. 

That didn’t matter. He could breathe underwater. They couldn’t. He had to protect them. 

He reached Yeosang, finding the chef had reverted back to his human form. Hongjoong grabbed him, using his powers to push the water away from his head and snatch whatever was in his lungs out. He found San in the murky water, too, putting a bubble over him as well. Hongjoong looked up, squinting. 

The water was clouded with blood and limbs, but he could see the bottom of Seonghwa’s ice, so he propelled himself and his lovers towards it, protecting them from attacks. 

“What will you do without him?” Pricilla sneered, noticing his form in the water. 

“What will you do when I rip him away? You took her, so it's even, isn’t it? Isn’t it?! ** _ANSWER ME!_ **”

Hongjoong pushed them up onto Seonghwa’s ice and looked over at Pricilla as she fought with Jongho. 

**“You talk entirely too fucking much!”**

“For once, he’s fucking right! Shut up!” Jongho growled, his eyes shifting to dark red as Whiro grew to a massive size on his back, tendrils of darkness coming from his body to combat the ones coming from hers. 

“Thieves! First that woman and now you. You want to be thieves, I’ll show you thieves!” 

Hongjoong stood up, but something wrapped around his ankle. 

“I’ll kill you. Again and again and again! You disgusting sea rat!” Hongjoong cursed as he fell hard onto the ice, clawing at it as the now two dogs biting at his ankle began dragging him towards the ocean. Seonghwa didn’t immediately turn, trying to focus on keeping the ship afloat. 

He expected Hongjoong to handle them, sever them with water. 

The powers never came out of the smaller man. 

**‘Tsk tsk. Should’ve listened.’**

“SEONGHWA HELP!”

Seonghwa turned, jolting when he saw the look of panic on Hongjoong’s face. He lowered his hand, but brought it back up immediately when the massive hole he had been working on cracked. Hongjoong turned at the dogs, trying fruitlessly to punch them off of him. 

“Jongho! Something is wrong!”

Jongho looked away for a moment and Pricilla lunged at him, punching him through the top of the deck and leaving him in a wounded heap in the quarters where the rest of the crew were sheltering. Water began to lick at their feet and legs as Seonghwa tried to patch the holes outside. 

**“Hey! Kid, get up! I...I can’t….do anything if you...pass….o..u...t…”**

Pricilla turned her attention to Hongjoong, smiling wickedly. 

“She gave you immortality, didn’t you. Do you know what else is ~immortal~? A phoenix, sea rat. And even they die again and again~” Hongjoong was dragged forward, kicking and screaming until he was in front of Pricilla. 

“So be cursed, little captain. Destined to live and die again and again~ Forever wandering the earth never knowing about your little lovers.” She grinned wildly and began to descend into the water. 

“NO! NO NO NO!” Seonghwa screamed and Yunho cursed, putting Mingi and Wooyoung aside and wrapping a thick vine around the dog heads and another around Hongjoong’s wrist.

“I got him! Hold on, Captain! Use your powers!”

Hongjoong screamed, holding onto the vines. Tears and blood rolled down his cheek as the fangs dug into his legs. His grip on the vine trembled as he looked at Yunho, shaking his hand. 

“I…can’t use them…”

“WHAT?!” Yunho and Seonghwa barked at the same time. Hongjoong cried out as the fangs sunk deeper into his legs. 

“He...he won’t let me...I can’t...use my powers...he’s blocking them.” He coughed, his grip loosening. Pricilla screamed from above him and Yunho knocked two tentacles away before he stood and began running. 

“Hongjoong hold on!” 

Seonghwa snarled and left the ship alone, rushing forward on platforms of ice. 

“Protect them, Hwa! Find me later. Don’t let her sink!”

“To hell with the ship!”

“PROTECT HER!” 

Seonghwa tensed, eyes wide with tears as Yunho struggled to fight off the tendrils, magic, and claws. Hongjoong smiled, his lip wobbling as he stared at the doctor, and then Seonghwa. 

“Hongjoong, please-”

“Protect our crew. Find me later.” Hongjoong felt his vision fade from blood loss. In his head, he heard the other him chuckling. 

**‘Give in and I’ll take care of her. Let me have control.’**

Tears slipped down Hongjoong’s cheek as he felt his grip on the vines fail. 

“I love you all...so much.”

And with a screech, Pricilla sunk as many fangs into him as possible, dragging him underwater. 

As his vision faded and water filled his lungs, the last thing he heard was the muffled sound of a scream and dark chuckling in his head.

** _‘What a shame, captain.’_ **


	10. Tenth Voyage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Content TWs for:  
Reincarnation  
Mentions of Repeated Main Character Death (Bc, y'know...reincarnation)  
Graphic Blood and Violence  
Emotional and Psychological Manipulation  
Brief Mention of Mental Health Concerns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to self promo myself too, so please feel free to follow my  
[Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com)  
My new [Muse Blog](https://atiny-crew-musings.tumblr.com/) (you can ask the fic characters questions! People seem to adore Whiro and Boatswain Mingi the most hehe)  
and feel free to check out my tumblr masterlist with [Character Analyses](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com/post/190853611066/the-following-is-a-mlist-for-the-analyses-of-some=) that I'll continue working on alongside this work.  
Since the last chapter, the analyses for San, Mingi, and Jongho have went up. Mingi and Jongho's have some commissioned art so feel free to drop by and check it out and give some love to the artists that made my vision of the boys come to life!
> 
> Thank you for reading my author's notes, sorry for making them so long today, and please enjoy and review!

  
  


The sound of Seonghwa’s screams from that night still haunts the crew. 

They’re fortunate, Yunho thinks. 

Though, he’d never say it aloud and Geb is kind enough not to call him out on the bitter, spiteful thoughts when they arise. 

Anyway, the crew was fortunate.

Most of them are lucky that _ all _ they heard was the screams of their First Mate- _ no _-their new Captain. The crewmembers below the deck and the ones unconscious didn’t have to deal with the sight of their captain, the one who held them all together, breaking down. 

The fear on his face. The defeat. The pain. The terrified, yet resolute tone in his voice.

All that haunted them was the screams of the ex prince, which, coupled by an explosion of ice, creating a fortress of frost around them, was a beacon in the night for what had happened. 

Yunho had to drag him out of the ocean. Nearly got stabbed doing so. It took an hour of Seonghwa diving into the depths, freezing everything around him and reaching fruitlessly before Yunho snatched him back to the surface. 

He’d nearly been frozen and stabbed for his efforts and the crew watched on as Yunho pinned Seonghwa to the deck, thick vines keeping him still as he screamed and thrashed. 

Just behind him, Mingi stood back with an unconscious San in his arms. Wooyoung was at his side, eyes wide as tears rolled down his cheeks while Yeosang leaned over the taffrail, emptying the contents of the dinner he’d worked hard to make into the ocean. Jongho still lay unconscious under the broken planks of wood in the hold, sea water soaking his clothes and Whiro noticeably absent from his skin for once. 

“LET ME GO! LET ME GO! HONGJOONG! HONGJOONG!” Seonghwa screamed, his voice raw and cracking as he thrashed in Yunho’s arms.

None of them had ever seen the level headed ex prince fall apart like this. He bore his teeth at him, trying to wrestle his way free, freezing parts of his body to try and get Yunho to let him go. The sight of the raven-haired immortal coming apart at the seams broke everyone’s heart and Geb gently whispered into Yunho’s ear so he could settle Seonghwa down the hard way. 

They weren’t getting anywhere like this. 

So Yunho sighed and created a small flower near Seonghwa’s head, tears slipping down his cheeks. Seonghwa looked up at him, eyes bloodshot from crying. 

“H-Hong-”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” 

Small spores wafted out of the flower and slowly Seonghwa’s thrashing slowed down. He felt his body grow heavy as Yunho put his head in his lap, crying quietly as Seonghwa’s pitch black hair slowly went back to it’s natural blonde color. 

“N...o...Hongjoong...putois…” 

Yunho wished all that haunted him was the screams, and not the guilt of not being strong or fast enough to keep him from disappearing. That Hongjoong’s quivering, terrified voice didn’t knock around his head as much as the anguished howls of Seonghwa.

Unfortunately, that was all it was. Wishful thinking.

-x-

_ \- _ _ I finally get what you've been saying _

_ Now that we're knee deep side by side _

_ The storm clouds are circling above us _

_ As we struggle against the tide- _

-x-

There are intricacies that come with warfare, the king knew these well. 

Though, even he may admit that this was an..._ unfortunate _ miscalculation. 

Getting to a point in Hongjoong’s mind where he was distracted enough for him to actually affect his powers was leagues more difficult than he’d ever let anyone know. For as much as he antagonized the pirate, the dragon inside would admit he had much more mental fortitude than he originally gave him credit for. 

Stupid mortals and their useless sense of ‘love’. 

Though, technically, he wasn’t a mortal anymore. 

Whatever.

Regardless of what the little captain was classified as, the fight with the one called ‘Priscilla’ had left him in such a panic that the dragon was able to break through, tap into the core of their-no, _ his _-powers, and snatch it from under him while he was fighting for everyone’s lives. 

Disgusting. 

He figured he’d distract the foolish captain long enough for him to kill him mentally and rid himself of the beast. 

Oh, and sink that damned ship and rip it’s crew to pieces. For fun. 

He’d never expected a curse to be placed on him because of his intervention. Not only did the she beast strip the captain of all of his knowledge of who he was and his crew, she had inadvertently banished the dragon to the farthest recesses of the captain’s mind. 

As the king stood, he couldn’t see light in either direction. 

He had to get back to the front so he could take control. He had to break out before the captain remembered and broke the curse. He could handle Pricilla later. 

With a scoff, he turned into his dragon form and snorted. 

A minor misstep. He could outsmart some stupid immortal wannabes and that grotesque bastard child. 

Then, he’d create havoc. 

For fun. 

And revenge.

But mostly fun.

-x-

_ -I feel your grip firm on my shoulder, _

_ But this fear in my head won’t subside, _

_ They patiently circle around us, _

_ As we hold out… _ _ \- _

-x-

“Do you see those men there? They hold your entire fate in their hands.”

Hongjoong panted, blood running into his eyes as his hair was pulled back roughly. On the other side of a clear glass bubble, he could see seven men in a room. There was a tall blonde man pacing. Every time his boot touched the floor, it would freeze before the ice melted. 

There was a taller man holding onto two smaller men who were crying. 

Something was said and the blonde turned suddenly, his body rigid. A buffer man stood between him and the group, reaching for something on his person. The blonde man crossed the room and took his hand, the tips of his fingers frosting around the man’s wrist as he glared at him, saying something. 

Hongjoong couldn’t hear a word either of them were saying, nor did he care. He pivoted on his heel, elbowing the monstrous woman behind him in the face before he broke off into a run. 

He didn’t know where he was going, but he figured if he ran far enough, screamed loud enough-

Something hard slammed into his back, knocking him forward. He rolled, his clothing soaked by the water as he wheezed, trying to catch his breath. When he looked up, a rabid dog was staring him down. 

He screamed in terror and backed away, eyes wide. 

Who was she? Why was she doing this to him? Where even was he?

Fangs sunk into his thigh before he was dragged back towards the woman, kicking and screaming. 

A dark smile came to her face. 

“Get real comfortable, little pirate. With how your sorry crew looks, you’ll be stuck here with me forever and ever~ You’re here because of them, at the very least, you should know that they’re the reason you’re here.”

-x-

_ \- _ _ Oh, father why have they forsaken me? _

_ You warned me that they would, _

_ The curse is passing down the bloodline, _

_ Misspoken and misunderstood.- _

-x-

“Seonghwa, all I’m saying is we can _ try _ it out-”

“We’re not calling that woman!” 

Jongho pursed his lips, annoyed at the older immortal raising his voice at him, while Wooyoung flinched and whined behind him, sitting with Yeosang in Yunho’s arms as the two of them cried. 

“What else are we going to do? How else do we start? We don’t even know what happened to Hongjoong fully or where that witch took him!” the Maori man snapped back. 

Seonghwa paced like a caged animal, but eventually scoffed, admitting temporary defeat. 

“Fine. Call her.” He hissed. Jongho eyed him for a moment before reaching for the feather dangling from his hip. Whiro curiously shifted along his skin, but Jongho focused on the feather, holding it out in front of him. 

“Hyuna!”

Seonghwa and the others stood and waited. 

And waited. 

And waited….

And...waited….

“Why...isn't she coming?” 

Seonghwa’s nostrils flared in anger before he barked out a laugh. 

“Oh, look at that. _ She’s not coming _ . You wait around for her and we’ll _ never _find Hongjoong. Right now, we can start by finding out who fucking stole that fucking staff.” He hissed.

The temperature in the room drastically lowered as ice cold grey eyes scanned over everyone in the group. 

They lingered on some more than others. 

“It wasn’t me. Don’t stare at me like that.” Mingi’s voice was hurt as he looked down at the floor. Seonghwa’s jaw ticked. 

“I didn’t say it was you.” He stiffly informed him.

“You didn’t have to. I was raised around Bella Rose, I know an accusatory look when I see it. It wasn’t me.” He muttered, his voice quieter. San noticed the clench of his fists and the tears welling up in the boatswain’s eyes and moved to place a hand on his back. Seonghwa clicked his tongue, keeping his eyes on the duo. Yeosang began to hiccup through his sobs in Yunho’s arms, so the man stood, catching Seonghwa’s attention. 

“I don’t...think that should be our top priority. Not right now.” 

“I disagree. One of you stole the staff, and Hongjoong is gone now. That seems pretty damn important. Which one of you did it?” He spat, malice dripping from his voice. Even Jongho flinched back, his brows pulled together. Whiro shifted along his skin and tutted before lifting upwards. 

Jongho moved to reel him in, but he was met with more than the usual amount of resistance and Whiro’s voice in his head. 

**‘For once, trust me, kid.’**

Jongho pursed his lips and let Whiro form into a mirror image of himself aside from the blonde hair, red eyes, and ta moko. He rolled his shoulders and looked at Seonghwa, who looked unimpressed and fed up before anything even left the fragmented god’s mouth. 

“If you're going to talk shit, save-”

**“Nah, you’ve said enough the past few days. Shut up and listen for once, prince.”**

Seonghwa snarled, but Whiro ignored him, keeping his thick arms crossed as he spoke. Even Jongho looked on curiously as Whiro continued.

**“What exactly are you gonna do with that information? Hm? Hurt one of them? Kick them out? Is that what the old captain would have wanted?” **

Seonghwa looked taken aback-and he wasn’t the only one. 

Seven pairs of eyes watched Whiro in shock.

**“Whoever stole it doesn’t matter right now. What matters right now is whether you like it or not, you’re the captain now. From what I understand after Jongho and I got knocked the fuck out, you were told to protect this ship and it’s crew. Last time I checked, this temper tantrum you’re throwing isn’t protecting shit, not even yourself.” **

“Am I not allowed my hurt? My anger? Hongjoong was...Hongjoong was my first love, he saved my life-”

Whiro rolled his eyes. 

**“Listen, I’m stuck here in this body for all of eternity and I feel what he feels,” ** He jabbed his thumb in the direction of a shocked Jongho before he kept talking. **“Get your shit together. Stop your sniveling, and start being the leader the shortstack knows you can be. The kid is strong. He may have lost this, but at one point, he had eight spirits inside of him and didn’t fall completely to ruin. Instead of doing the exact opposite of what he said to do and tear this crew apart, wipe your nose, wash your face for fuck’s sake, and go find the shortstack. He needs you, all of you. It’s been a week and we’re still in Greece. I’ll give you a day or so longer to get those tears out before I expect all fucking seven of you to quit bitchin’ and start searchin’. Do I make myself clear?”**

Seonghwa blinked before he ran a hand through his hair. 

“Gods, is it that bad that the literal God of Evil is trying to help?”

**“Yes, actually.” **Whiro responded without missing a beat, drawing an involuntary laugh out of some of them. 

**“I’m stuck to Jongho for all of eternity. I’d rather not to deal with all of these stupid ass gushy ass emotions normally, but since I have no choice now, I’d rather we pull ourselves together. Oh, and when I get my hands on that serpentine bitch, you can all step aside. I’ll take care of her myself.” **

Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but turned to the group, sighing as he bowed himself down. 

“I...I’m sorry.” There was more sitting on his tongue, but that was all he said for the time being, turning to leave. Once the sound of his boots on the wood retreated down the hall and out of earshot, everyone let out a relieved sigh, turning to look over at Whiro. 

“Holy shit. You helped us.” San muttered. 

Whiro cocked a brow. 

**“Helped you? Please. I’m just tired of the back and forth and even ol’ Jongie boy here is getting affected by all this more than I’d like, for us to share a body. I helped myself, nothing more.” **It was a lie, and all of them knew that much, but no one called him on it. Before he disappeared into Jongho’s skin, however, he did have something else to add. 

**“Though, my words will only light the fire under his ass and distract him for so long. You all seem content not knowing who took it, and that’s strange to me, but whatever. I suggest you all find the pipsqueak captain before blondie starts getting in his own head again. I can’t assure you all I can step out of Jongho every time Seonghwa becomes overwhelmed with anguish. I put these emotions in the world, I know their power. You don’t want the ice prince coming after you because most of you won’t be able to stop the rage that kid has inside from this. So find him. And quit feelin’ so damn sorry for yourselves.” **With that, Whiro settled back onto the skin of Jongho’s arms. 

Everyone glanced at each other before standing to go to their own respective rooms except Yunho, since they had gathered in his room. 

As one of them left, his shoulders slumped lower than the others, his heart thundering in his chest. 

_ ‘I’m sorry I took it...I’m so sorry, I didn’t know...I didn’t know it would be this way, please forgive me, I just-’ _

-x-

_ -We're losing light _

_ And strength of will _

_ The darkened depths beckoning still _

_ And we hold on _

_ Against the tide- _

-x-

Dawn pursed his lips. 

“The pirates called for you. Should we get going?”

Hyuna lifted her head from the tub of water she was mostly submerged in. 

“Can’t. They’re in Greece. If I stepped foot in Greco-Roman territory again, Zeus would surely come down from Olympus himself to strike me down. He’s still bitter I didn’t just accept my role as the harbinger of evil to mankind and then die off like the toy he created me to be. Whatever the boys need me for, I’ll just apologize next time they call on me. I’m sure it’s nothing. Besides, the last time they called me, I got my ass kicked. They’ll live if I just take a rain check this once.” Hyuna pouted from the tub before sinking back into the water, her inky hair making the water seem like it was pitch black. 

Dawn watched her for a moment before humming and turning to sharpen his sickles. 

Maybe she had a point. 

-x-

_ -Beneath the storm and left to fight alone _

_ Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown _

_ Under the waves and sinking like a stone _

_ I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown- _

-x-

When Lloyd answered the door that one cold night in January, he wasn’t expecting his son on the other side of the door. His lips parted in surprise. 

“Jesus it's cold, Lloyd, why is the door op-YUNHO!” 

Yunho laughed through his tears as Robin shot out from behind Lloyd, nearly knocking him down as he hugged him tight. His dreads, though graying, were much longer than the last time Yunho saw him, and he couldn’t help the big smile that crossed his face as the sound of thundering footsteps followed by excited screams pierced through the night air. 

The smell of sapodilla and of Barbados lilies flooded his nose with the smell of cerasee clinging to Robin’s clothes. 

Before he knew it, he was crying, relieved to see all four of his parents in good health. 

Lloyd observed them with a small smile on his face, before he noticed the men standing just off behind him.

“I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Lloyd, one of Yunho’s fathers. My partners will introduce themselves once they’re finished hugging the daylights out of our poor son...though...there seems to be more of you than last time, and I don’t see the captain…?”

Yunho tensed immediately, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his parents. Mei pulled away first, noticing the wobble of Yunho’s lip and Valeria cupped his cheeks. 

“Ay, lad...what’s wrong baby?”

“I’m...I’m the captain now.” Seonghwa spoke, though he didn’t meet any of their eyes. Robin pulled away, as well, and Yunho sighed, rubbing his arm. 

“I...I came home because we need some help.” He murmured. 

All four of them exchanged a look before Lloyd stepped aside. 

“Come inside from the cold, boys. Mei will brew some tea, and you can explain what happened.” 

-20 years Later-

Mingi sat in silence as he sat in a cathedral. He had taken some time away from Yunho’s island to visit another, picking up a few books to read from a shop on curses and the like. Was it the most ideal place to be reading something like this? Most likely not, but he had to do what he needed to. 

The crew had stayed near the Caribbean Islands, doing their absolute best to find somewhere, _ anywhere _ to start. 

It was stifling, with tensions so high. Some members from the original crew had either moved on or passed away trying to help Seonghwa and the others locate Hongjoong, and the blonde captain had been adamant about not bringing new members in. 

There...was no love lost between the seven of them, Mingi liked to think, but he’d be lying if he said Seonghha hadn’t put up a wall between all of them and himself. After Whiro put him in his place, he seemed to mask his true anguish and hurt, and they all could tell it was taking a toll on him, though he always put on and front when he was around them. 

He was the leader. The captain. He had to keep himself together, lest they all fall apart. Hongjoong trusted him to do this much. To protect them. If that meant suppressing his own emotions for the betterment of the crew, so be it. It wasn’t like it was something he didn’t know how to do already. 

He was raised as royalty, next up for the throne and title of a king. Kings couldn’t show any cowardice and weakness. Seonghwa could hide away his emotions well enough. 

Though, that was a lie. They could all see it. The chips in his icy exterior. The tremble in his lips when he kissed them. The slight, barely there crack in his voice when he went to reassure them. Seonghwa was falling apart and masking it with layers of ice, but none of them had the heart to call him out. 

Not when they were falling apart too. 

An air of failure and guilt clung to them and no amount of sweet words from Yunho’s parents could hold it back for too long. 

Speaking of parents...

Mingi’s fingers trembled on the page. Right. He had to return to the island soon. Lloyd had passed away of natural causes from his old age and they would be having a celebration of life for him tonight. 

The four of them all but put a pause on their work to help out with locating Hongjoong, studying everything from mythology, to curses themselves. 

For two decades, they tirelessly helped them, and Mingi was forever grateful. Honestly, it was all four of them that kept the boys from completely losing hope. From the Irish, foul-mouthed tongue lashings they (lovingly) got from Valeria, to Robin taking their mind off of it with teaching them capoeira, to Mei gently telling them Korean folktales over cups of tea when the stress was too high, and finally, old Lloyd teaching all of them the way of herbal medicine and always lending an ear when they needed to vent. 

The four of them had all but become the in-laws to the group, and Mingi was forever grateful.

“You look troubled.” 

Mingi jolted, closing his book as a nun walked up to him. Mingi scooted over as she sat beside him, placing her hands on her lap as she looked forward past the pews to stare at the beautiful organ at the forefront of the hall. 

He subtly hid the book behind his thigh, clearing his throat. 

“I’m sorry, I just needed somewhere quiet to read and-”

“You’ve been staring at that page for half an hour. Either that passage is really good, or you’re troubled.” She laughed lightly. Mingi stared at the side of her face. His brow furrowed. 

Why did she seem so familiar…?

“Would you like someone to lend an ear? We have a confessional, or I could just listen.” She offered, kind brown eyes staring into his own. He lowered his gaze to his hands and sighed. 

“I’m just...looking for someone close to me. They were taken away and I don’t know if I can find them or where to start.” he muttered. The nun tilted her head before crossing her feet at the ankle, sitting up straighter. 

Mingi expected her to mention God, they were in a place of worship, after all.

“I think you should take time to clear your heart and your mind. You’re very troubled and you won’t be able to focus on your objective when you are so conflicted. Life...throws lots of hurdles at you. Take time to catch your breath and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can be surprised how asking different people for advice will steer you in the right direction. Sometimes you need to take a step back and look at it from a different angle. Remember that, and I hope you find your friend.” She smiled and stood up, waving to Mingi as she turned to leave. 

“Wait!”

She paused. 

“Hm?” 

“I’m sorry if this is...a weird question, but what is your name, Sister?” He inquired. She blinked in surprise before sending him a kind name. 

“Mine? My name is Sister Gracie.” 

-x-

Seonghwa stood in front of a mirror, looking at his reflection. His jaw was clenched tight as he wiped his eyes. He had to pull himself together. Two decades and they haven’t found him yet. 

He looked into his own grey eyes, his voice tense. 

“I’m not giving up on you. I’ll never give up on you. I’ll find you, mon petit putois.” he muttered, adjusting the buttons to his shirt. 

What he couldn’t tell, in a plane beyond the one he was standing in, was Hongjoong was looking back at him. 

Panicked fists slammed against the invisible aquatic wall that separated the two of them. 

“Hey! Hey!! I’m screaming at you, please!” Hongjoong looked behind him, finding something slithering in the depths of water behind him. Bubbles erupted from his mouth as he screamed louder, his voice getting raw as he reached desperately for the vision of the blonde man. He pressed his palm to the man’s image, tears in his eyes. 

“** _Please! _ ** I’m screaming, I’m begging! Why, _ why _ can’t you hear me?! Help me!” 

A thick tentacle wrapped around his waist, pulling him roughly. Hongjoong scrambled, pressing both hands to the barrier. A laugh echoed from behind him before he was snatched back, away from the image of the blonde man. 

In the guest room, Seonghwa placed a palm on the cool mirror, eyes downcast. 

“I’ll find you. No matter how far you are, Hongjoong.” 

-x-

_ -Beneath the storm and left to fight alone _

_ Remember son, you're reaping what you've sown _

_ Under the waves and sinking like a stone _

_ I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown- _

-x-

He can feel it. Every time he dies. Every time he’s reborn and has a different name. 

_ **~1668, the first death after the curse was placed on him, he’s trampled by a horse. ** _

_ **1690, he can feel his throat closing after a fatal allergic reaction. ** _

_ **1712, an accident while trying to help create the first working steam engine.~** _

Hongjoong feels it all. It doesn’t help, the she-beast likes to toy with him. Sometimes she lets him roam free, in the vast expanse of...wherever he was trapped in. He had no concept of the passage of time anymore while he was in here. Everything felt...stalled and floaty. The woman told him he had been there for almost a century, in her clutches, but he paid it no mind. 

That was absurd. 

_ **~1734, flash, then it’s gone with a lightning strike. ** _

_ **1756, huddled up for warmth, only to die by the morning from exposure getting lost in the mountains.** _

_ **1778, blood loss from a carpenter accident. He was a careless man in this particular life.~** _

Sometimes she leaves him alone. For very long periods of time. He doesn’t know if he prefers that or not. On one hand, her torture was agonizing, between the way she’d wound him, leaving him on the brink of what surely should have been death, but unlike his selves on the outside, he couldn’t die in here. 

No, he had to slowly power through the pain, slowly heal in this godforsaken place, and then she’d come back, and start all over. 

He envied the other ‘hims’ on the outside. They got to live lives, all of which unfulfilling and mostly in poverty, but they still got to live them, and then they all died on November 7th, only for the piece of his soul to be cast away to another part of the world, into a newborn and reborn once again. 

Then the cycle continued. He watched it all from this space. His lives, his deaths, over and over again. 

The woman never called him anything other than cruel names and ‘Captain’, though he had no idea of what anymore. 

Hell, he was pretty sure he’d forgotten his own name while trapped in here. 

** _~1800, a casualty in the Quasi-War._ **

** _1822, a fall from a moving locomotive._ **

** _1844, a fatal encounter with a wild boar._ **

** _1866, a mine shaft collapse.~_ **

When he’s alone for decades at a time, he feels a bit of his sanity slip. Like he’ll never get out of this place. Like he’ll be here for all of eternity. Sometimes, he lays on his back, with his eyes closed for as long as he can, and waits. 

Nothing ever happens, but sometimes it's easier to just...exist. Rest his eyes and his tired body. He hasn’t given up. Not yet, anyway, but sometimes it's better for him to just..._ be _. 

He’ll never admit to that woman that sometimes he looks forward to her arrival when she comes back from leaving him for so long, just because her presence grounds him into reality. 

Or, rather, whatever hellish reality he’s found himself in at her hands. 

At her hands, and as he looks out at the bubble she forces him to look at, finding those same seven men. Or, rather, two of them, this time. 

They’re in Paris, the one with the dimples has an arm around the other one’s waist, muttering something into his ear. He nudges him before a tender smile comes to his lips and the two share a kiss before disappearing into a hotel room. 

The brunette looked away, not sure why he was made to follow these people along though his time here. She always sneered in his ear that they were to blame, that they were the key to getting him out, that they were all happier without him and had forgotten him at this point. 

She never showed him the seven of them tirelessly searching for him. He didn’t even know how hard they were working. She carefully picked out the rare moments they took time to themselves to catch their breaths and try and stabilize themselves, painting them as people who didn’t have any sense of urgency or care in the world. 

The cook who made large meals with a big smile on his face. The inseparable duo, always attached at the hip, in each other’s space, bringing love and comfort to one another. The tall man with his nose in the books, glasses perched on his nose as he spent days engrossed in his books. The other tall one, filling out his notebooks with whatever hasty, nearly illegible sprawlings came to him as he sat amongst plants. The rugged one with the curious markings on his arms and legs that sometimes shifted and formed some dark being. Hongjoong would be surprised, but he had an aquatic beast breathing down his neck with tentacles for legs and rabid dog heads extending from her waist, so he would be lying if he said he was truly surprised. 

The only one that never looked like he was relaxed was the blonde. Pricilla didn’t show him for long, but whenever he was in the background of those visions she’d hand picked for him, he looked like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. An air of guilt and anguish always settled underneath whatever expression he happened to have on his face, and it always made Hongjoong tilt his head and gave him a small flicker of hope. 

** _~1888, a fall during the construction of a new building._ **

** _1910, a stage accident during the production of a play. _ **

** _1932, burned alive saving a child from a fire. _ **

** _1954, starvation._ **

** _1976, a hostage, taken out in an unsuccessful negotiation.~_ **

He’s exhausted. He wonders if Pricilla is too. Doesn’t it get exhausting to do this to someone? Was what happened that led him to this point really that bad? 

He watched his soul go into another body, sitting down and watching this one grow up. Quite the rebellious one, this version of himself. From his mullet, to the dark makeup around his eyes and the piercings littering his ears. 

The trapped man watched him, grateful Pricilla had chosen to leave him alone for the time being. 

He looked at a calendar on the wall behind the other him as he walked by one day, spotting the ‘1997’ on the wall. 

Ah, only a year left until he’d die and another incarnation of him would come. 

One day, as the other him is looking in the mirror, the trapped soul stands and stares at him. He knows he looks like hell, though he’s grateful Pricilla never showed him what he looked like. Hell, at this point, he wasn’t sure if these versions of ‘himself’ were really him, or if it was all just an elaborate lie. 

“I’m right here. I’ve been right here. You’re lucky, living on the outside. You don’t even know I’m here, do you? You can’t see me, they never can.” He muttered bitterly. 

The man on the other end paused the application of his makeup, his cut brow twitching. 

“I can hear you. I liked it better when you were just some weird, fucked up version of myself in my dreams, though. I have enough on my plate without worrying about if I need to see a shrink for voices in my head.” 

He froze. 

“You can hear me?! You can hear me, really?!” 

The other him narrowed his eyes. 

“Jesus, you’re loud. Yes, I can hear you.” 

He stared wide-eyed at himself and for the first time in centuries, he had a flicker of hope. He wasn’t sure what changed, but for once, he got the fire in his whole body to get up and _fight _ with his whole body once more. 

-x-

_ -You're reaping what you've sown _

_ You're reaping what you've sown _

_ You're reaping what you've sown _

_ You're reaping what you've sown- _

-x-

“You still haven’t forgotten the pirate from Delphi?” 

Grey-ish blue eyes opened slowly and looked up at a pair that were identical. 

“I could have done something, Tem.” 

A small hum came from her lips as she crossed her legs and stared at him. She reached over, smoothing down his blonde hair before she pulled him into a hug. 

“Why do you cling onto that immortal? He was only with you for but so long.” 

“He made an impression. The way he spoke of his family and his crew, it was honestly the most genuine and pure emotions I’ve seen in centuries, and still, I haven’t quite seen anything like it.” he muttered. 

He was met with a small hum. 

“So, centuries later, several incarnations of him later, and you still want to step in and help? Is it because of Hyacinthus?” 

He pursed his lips, looking down at her collar, biting his lip. 

“I-”

“He’s gone, Apollo. But I see this means a lot to you. Father and Uncle have their hands tied with their...ugh...escapades, so I doubt you’d find much resistance. I can...I can try and help you. I hate to see my brother like this.” 

Blue eyes widened and he pulled back. 

“Artemis-” 

“I said I can _try _. You and I, there is only but so much that we can do. This may even require you to step out from Olympus, out from our domain, and into the domain of other deities. Some of them may not be too privy to actually help out. Our father hasn’t left the greatest of impressions on the other sky deities and they tend to run the show. But, I will try for you.” She kissed the top of his head and sat back. 

“We should get started. We should look into this curse a bit more. If it was our...darling cousin that put the curse on the man, I wouldn’t be surprised if she put in some hidden stipulations.” 

He stood, eyes determined. 

“Right, then. Let’s get to work.” 

Artemis smiled and led him out of the room. 

“Let's start by talking to the Fates. Maybe they can tell us where we can start.”

-x-

_ -We're slowly losing ground _

_ And hope is harder to maintain _

_ When all the prayers we've prayed _

_ Feel lost like tears in the rain- _

-x-

The king snarled, exhaustion pulling at his form. 

Really, how fucking long had he been there? Was he even going in the right direction? Which way was up or down?

The heavens themselves wouldn’t save that damn beast of a woman when he got to the front of the pathetic pirate’s mind. He swore it on his own pride and honor, he would revel in breaking her in half. 

Then those incompetent ass pirates. He was certain if they had gotten to the kid sooner and broke whatever curse was inflicted, he would’ve already been at the forefront of the captain’s mind once more. 

Instead, he was here, swimming in the inky blackness of this idiot’s mind, unsure if he was even-

“-member me?”

He blinked, hearing an echo. His scaled head snapped up, pausing momentarily. 

Was that…?

“I have dreams, yes. Of past ‘mes’, I guess. You’re really kind of persistent.” 

“I’m sorry, I just...I need you to remember fully who you are, who we are. You’re the first one of me that can see and hear me. I think maybe...Maybe we can break the curse?”

“Sounds like a lot of work.” 

The king’s fangs glinted as he looked towards the sound of the voices. 

** _“F i n a l l y.” _ **

-x-

_ -The waters pulling down _

_ The moon's eclipsing the sun _

_ The ending that we knew would come _

_ Has finally begun- _

-x-

Joong wasn’t much. 

He lived his life poor and disinterested in life. His only friend was a fortune-telling, self proclaimed sun witch, and his only real interest in life was his motorcycle. 

Nothing more, nothing less. 

The dreams that plagued him since he was a child, of past lives and their subsequent deaths, none of it interested him. 

They, like this persistent voice in his head for the past year, harping on a ‘curse’ or whatever, were just an inconvenience. He hadn’t heard from the ‘other him’ in a while, so maybe it was just an illusion from staying up late too many nights or something. 

Either way, all this talk of mythical creatures and curses was truly a bother. 

“Ah, you’re here. I was wondering when you’d show up.” 

He ducked under the beaded curtain of the fortune-telling shop, sitting across from a gorgeous woman with feline eyes. 

“I told you I’d come, Siyeon. It is your birthday.” 

Siyeon smiled softly and reached for his hands, gently rubbing her thumbs along the back of them. 

“Yeah, but you never let me read your cards.”

Joong shrugged a shoulder, running a hand through his sandy brown mullet. 

“Yeah, well. Happy birthday, how do you want me to do this?” He inquired. She laughed and pulled out a beautiful deck of tarot cards. 

“You can shuffle the cards. Pull three of them and place them in a triangle formation and flip them one by one for me, okay?” the witch seemed excited about him participating, so he sent her a small, kind smile. He didn’t quite believe in any of this, but Siyeon was someone incredibly important to him, so just this once, he would go along with it. 

He shuffled the cards, humming a birthday song to Siyeon while he did so before he followed her instructions and plucked three of the cards from three different sections of the deck, placing them in front of him in the shape of a triangle. 

“Okay, flip them.” 

Joong nodded and flipped the cards one by one. 

Siyeon’s smile immediately fell. 

A Reversed Emperor, The Tower, and the Three of Swords. 

“Well that doesn’t look pleasant.” Joong tried to tease, but Siyeon’s expression didn’t crack. She looked up at him, brows pinched together. Joong shifted in his chair, the chains attached to his leather pants jingling from the move. 

“Well? You gonna tell me what my fortune is, Si?” 

“Right...right. Um...First is the Reversed Emperor. This is normally a symbol of power and being the king of kings, of sorts but um...reversed, there seems to be a lot of turmoil within you. You don’t have as much control as you’d like to believe you do, and it’s left you with a fake sense of safety and security.” She stared at the card before looking towards the second one. 

“The Tower...there is chaos brewing for you, Joong. Chaos and destruction, and soon, _ something _ will happen that will absolutely turn your whole world upside down. The last, the Three of Swords, means heartbreak of some form is coming. It can be interpreted as something to do with the relationships you have, but it also can be in reference to some kind of terrible pain and suffering.” 

“Well, that sounds welcoming.” Joong hummed, shrugging a shoulder. Siyeon looked at him, her face conflicted. 

“I-”

“Hey, it's alright. Maybe your cards just don’t like me today.” He teased. Siyeon opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t how it worked, but he put a hand over hers, sending her a disarming smile. 

“Hey, it’s your birthday. Don’t worry so much about this stuff right now. I finally let you read my cards, so let’s go out to eat or something.” He offered. Siyeon resisted the urge to scold him and tell him to take what she had read more seriously, to caution himself, but instead, she only nodded and stood from her table. 

“You’re taking me to the Latin place down the street, right?” 

“Only the best for my best witch. See what I did there?”

“Because I’m a witch, hardy harr, let’s go nerd.” 

-x-

“What do you mean there was a curse placed on him?! How long was it gonna take before you found me?!”

“We tried days after it happened! You didn’t respond!”

Hyuna paused, staring at Yeosang in surprise before she squinted. 

“Wait...in Greece…?”

“Yes!” 

“HE’S BEEN GONE FOR THAT-” a hand covered her mouth and she nearly bit San, eyes narrowing at him. He sent her a dirty look, wiping his hand off on his jeans before he looked at Dawn. 

He was the calmer of the two of them, so they’d get answers from him.

“Hyuna can’t step foot in the Greco-Roman territories. Zeus would skin her alive. Since you all were in Greece when you called on her, she didn’t come for her own safety. And I imagine because of her not responding that time, none of you called on us again until right now?” the weasel spirit inquired. 

Wooyoung, San, and Mingi shook their heads. The three of them had stuck together this time. 

Somewhere at the turn of the 20th century, Seonghwa had suggested they start splitting up to try and find Hongjoong, since all seven of them looking in the same spot in such a vast and ever-changing world was...impractical, at best. Downright idiotic at worst.

It made sense, but all of them knew that was the kindest way Seonghwa could tell them he couldn’t stand looking at some of them as much as he could anymore. They had begun to see the cracks once more. The barely concealed tick of his jaw when he thought no one was looking. The way he sometimes scanned their group when they were together, silently hoping whoever took it would come forward. 

At the very least, he needed to know who did it. Whiro be damned. 

Speaking of, he and Jongho had become exceptional trackers, which came as no surprise to the group. After all, Jongho had tracked down Hongjoong with the minimal information and tech that he had from before, so this was progressively getting easier. 

He just needed to be faster. He’d found Hongjoong once, the last time, but by time he got to the city he felt Hongjoong was in, he could only stand by in wide-eyed shock as the sound of a gunshot rang out into the night. 

He didn’t tell the others that part. He and Whiro would bear that one alone. 

Regardless of their failures, they often grouped up on the 22nd year, to try to fruitlessly put together the pieces they needed to find him this time before his birthday passed and they inevitably lost their opportunity once more. 

It was 1998 now. The 22nd year. He’s birthday was in a week and he’d die once more if they didn’t find him. 

Hyuna frowned and looked at her box on her hip. 

“I don’t have any spirits for searching, but I can find some. For...y’know, the next time.” She cringed. The boys did as well before hearing the door to the loft they were temporarily staying in open. 

Seonghwa must have come home. 

Hyuna gauged the looks on their faces and cringed. 

“Right, then. I imagine this won’t be a good look for me to be here if that’s how all of you are looking at me. Dawn and I will go and I’ll get back to you as soon as I find a dog spirit suited for the job. I’m...I’m sorry.” She bowed her head down and the two of them disappeared as soon as the door opened. 

Seonghwa stared at the trio for a moment before pointing behind him, his voice having lost nearly all of it’s usual sass and coyness. 

“Come, I brought food.” 

The three of them exchanged a look before trudging out of the room.

-x-

“Apollo, you really are impressive.” 

Alistair, or rather, Apollo, wiped sweat from his brow and looked up from his spot on the floor before Hera, blood running down his temple as he tossed the head of some beast at her feet. 

“Will you help me?”

“I haven’t seen you so determined to do anything since Hyacinthus’ death. And even Kaliopel is helping out-”

“I spoke with the Fates, I’ve spoken to Aunt Persephone and convinced Uncle Hades to offer up assistance in locating where the soul goes...even Nana Styx offered to pacify my father. I just need your help this once.” 

Hera arched a perfectly curved brow. 

“And if I say no?”

“I assure you, I can find someone else who will help me in my plight. This could be your chance to get rid of me, but if not-”

“I’m listening.” 

Apollo exhaled, looking at the sun disk charm in his palm. He had retrieved it from the sea shortly after Hongjoong disappeared into the depths all those moons ago. 

“I offer up half of my godhood for your assistance. All I ask is your assistance in distracting my father and for your aid in my wife and I finding him. It’s too late this time for us to intervene, but I think a soul toiling around in this cycle without the acceptance of the gods is already means enough for _ someone _to step in. If he is out of our domain, I shall go to him. I just ask that you help me, this once. You’ll never see me again afterwards.” 

Hera looked at him in genuine surprise. 

“All this running, and it’s not for another consort?”

“No. It’s to break the curse no one authorized my cousin to make. Even Uncle Poisiden doesn’t seem to recall giving Scylla permission to do such a thing. It has caused conflict between him and Uncle Hades.” 

Hera stared at him for a long while, looking at the offering he’d so graciously tossed at her feet. She tutted and stood, her sandaled feet being the only sound in the room as she descended the stairs to her throne. She plucked a peacock feather from her robe and pressed it to Apollo’s forehead. 

“Get up off of your knees. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but your words and determination have appealed to me. I shall take part of your godhood in exchange for my assistance, but it shall be restored in full if you can complete your task. I will only help you once. If he dies again, you’re on your own.” She warned him before humming. 

“I’ll even see about getting you some extra assistance.” 

Apollo perked. 

“Extra?”

“Don’t get too excited. It won’t be easy. We’ll see how determined you are. Go speak to Mnemosyne and her daughter Klio and refresh yourself with what you have missed. Then go.” 

Apollo nodded and stood, a resolute look on his face. 

“Thank you, Hera.”

“Tell anyone I was kind to you and I’ll find a way to kill you myself. Now go.” 

Without another word, the Sun God turned on his heel and left, looking at the sun disk in his palm. 

There was a lot of work to be done. 

-x-

_ -You're reaping what you've sown _

_ It's finally begun _

_ You're reaping what you've sown _

_ I'm sorry son, you're reaping what you've sown _

_ You're reaping what you've sown _

_ You're reaping what you've sown- _

-x-

“JOONG! JOONG HOLD ON, PLEASE!”

The biker looked towards the sky, his body growing numb as he felt Siyeon’s hands shakily cup his face. Somewhere off to the side, his motorcycle lay in pieces. 

So this was it? A car collision? 

Ugh. 

“Joong! Joong please!” 

He knows Siyeon is yelling, but all he can hear is static. Above her head, he can see the sad reflection of himself, looking down at him. 

Oh, so that’s where he was.

He stared at it for a long time before blinking slowly, letting out a terse laugh. 

“Don’t have such a horrible look on your face. It’s only another life, right? You looked so hopeful. Find yourself again.” 

Siyeon’s brows pinched together in confusion, but the other him’s eyes grew. 

‘Find yourself again.’

In the depths of the eighth sea, between the planes of this world and the next, the captain grits his teeth and nods, swimming away from his dying form. 

He couldn’t give up. It was a slow time coming, but he couldn’t give up. He wouldn’t let her win. Hell, he had even made a breakthrough with himself, something he couldn’t fathom happening before. 

He was close. He was close to doing..._ something _. 

The king was also getting closer. 

‘Pricilla’ had chosen to leave him alone for the first few years of his next life, it was nothing extraordinary. He was an orphan, lonely just like he had been for all sixteen of his lives before this one. 

Everything changed in 2008. 

“Melody, look!” 

He swam to the edge, peering out. 

What is this? Someone noticed him in the orphanage? 

No one ever noticed him before. 

“Hey there, buddy. Do you wanna come home with us? You and your siblings?” 

The child frowned and looked at his feet, a small beret hiding most of his hair. 

“I don’t have siblings.” 

The massive man sent him a smile, tucking his hair behind his ear and as the spirit watched on, he could see he had lots of tattoos. 

“You do now. If you’d like to come with us, Hongjoong.” He offered. The ten year old blinked. 

“My name..isn’t…”

“George is a bit boring, don’t you think? I like Hongjoong better. It means you’re the center of the whole world, y’know.” 

Hongjoong looked up at him, then the woman standing behind him who sent him a gentle smile as three other children clung to her dress, staring at him in anticipation. They looked desperate to get out of the orphanage and have a family. 

A happy family. 

Hongjoong smiled shyly and walked up to the grey-ish blue eyed man, gently squeezing the little harbor seal plushie he kept with him at all times. He stepped in front of the man, shifting from foot to foot. 

“You won’t...you won’t throw me away, will you, mister? Not me and my friend Angel, will you?” He inquired, hugging the seal tighter. The man shook his head. 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Hongjoong. Do you accept? Will you come with us?” 

Hongjoong paused for only a second longer before he nodded, all but jumping into his arms with a wide smile. 

The tall man’s arms closed around him and he smiled, picking him up before picking up one of the other children. 

She stared at Hongjoong with wide eyes before smiling softly, her hair up in a ponytail.

“My name is Suzuka. I guess you’re my little brother now?” 

Hongjoong nodded eagerly. 

“Yes! My name is George-ah no...d-dad said my name is Hongjoong!” 

The spirit of the captain watched on with tears in his eyes and disbelief. 

Even he didn’t remember his name anymore, but somehow, when this man appeared, he felt a familiar sense of home and warmth when he uttered the name to the child. 

The captain watched the child and his family (that word felt so new to him. Family. He hadn’t had a family in ages) grow together. He expected the worst. Expected the tattooed man and his wife to be demons. That had to be it, there was no way he’d have a happy life when the sixteen leading up to this point were so miserable. 

They...never treated the four of them with anything other than the purest form of respect and love the captain can remember. He watched on, as the mother sang lullabies and told them stories before bed. As their father taught them how to play music, tattooed fingers working over a guitar, or the keys to a piano. 

This...was honestly such a happy and energetic life. 

He had friends and family. He smiled every day, got to perform on stages. 

Hongjoong...was happy. For the first time in centuries, he was truly happy. 

Years later, Pricilla returned, wrapping her limbs around him. 

No, no, no, he couldn’t let it end. He couldn’t let the best version of himself die again. 

So he turned and fought with all his might. He clawed and scratched and bit down on whatever he could. 

No more, he was tired. He wanted to live, he just wanted to live!

“Captain! What’s gotten into you, hm? I haven’t seen such fight in your eyes in a while~” 

He’d fight. Harder than ever before. He couldn’t let her win. 

Hongjoong thrashes, slamming his fists against the wall. He can see himself, just beyond the water, blissfully unaware. 

He’s laughing with his friends, celebrating new years as the calendar rolls over from 2019 to 2020. The captain feels his throat close slightly. This was the 22nd year. He was going to lose again, wasn’t he? He was going to lose his life again if the curse wouldn’t be broken. 

Sometimes he screams at his own reflection, hoping somehow he can hear himself. The last one, the biker named Joong, heard his voice. So maybe if he could get through to this one…

He needs to know, he has to find out who he is.

“Hello!? Can you hear me?! Hello!” He screams out to the college student. 

“Remember them, remember yourself!” He shouts. It's almost funny in a tragic way. He in spirit can’t even remember the names of the men that held his fate in his hands. The seven men from before. He needed them to help unlock his memories. They were the key as much as he was, he thinks. 

Golden eyes watch him, impressed. A clawed hand snakes around his body and squeezes his face so hard it hurts. He glares at the woman, his lips curled up into a scowl. She tuts at him, shaking her head. 

“You’ve been fighting for so long, Captain. Wouldn’t it be easier to give up? They look close to calling it quits. How could they not? Centuries without their precious leader, their precious _ lover-” _She spits the word out like a curse, but Hongjoong only pushes past her, swimming to the opposite side of the vast space. He can see the men, six instead of seven this time. 

“You want to give up on him?!” Seonghwa snarled. Mingi’s nostrils flared in anger as he stood nearly chest to chest with the ex prince. 

“I didn’t say that! I’m saying you need to slow the fuck down and breathe for a bit. None of us have gotten anywhere like this. We’re tearing ourselves apart like this!” He hissed. Seonghwa grit his teeth, ice frosting over his fingers as he glared at him. 

“None of this would even be happening if-” He stopped himself short, clenching his fists. Mingi glared at him. 

“If what? If someone didn’t steal the staff? You keep bringing it up, you keep looking at me different than the others. You _ still _ think it’s me!”

Seonghwa lowered his gaze, but didn’t deny the accusation. Mingi clenched his fists so hard it hurt, before he raised his voice. 

“I didn’t do it! How many times do I have to tell you I didn’t steal it?! Even if I did, do you think I wouldn’t have come clean by now?!” 

“I never said you _ did _ steal it!” Seonghwa barked. 

“You didn’t have to!” 

The two of them began to argue and Jongho stood, letting out a sigh. 

“Fuck this, we’re going for a walk.” He grumbled, sliding on a leather jacket. Yeosang watched him in concern before standing to retreat into the kitchen, five fox tails swaying behind him as he began cooking. Yunho sighed and laid on the floor out of the way. He was too tired for this today. Geb rumbled in silent agreement while Wooyoung shook in San’s grip. 

“Cheese, c’mon boy.” Jongho beckoned and a black and tan Jindo ran up to him, nuzzling his thigh and letting him put a harness on before he walked out, slamming the door with a bit of force behind him. 

Whiro rumbled in his head. 

**“You got the cloth for the dog, right?”**

“Never leave home without it.” Jongho held out a small cloth, dangling it under Cheese’s nose. The dog was given to them by Hyuna as a search dog for Hongjoong. He was still young, but with a bit more training, Jongho was sure he’d be a good supernatural sniffing dog. 

At least, he hoped he could sniff Hongjoong out before November. They were running out of time. 

Seonghwa and Mingi continued arguing and the captain screamed from beyond the invisible walls, pounding on the wall desperately. 

“What are you doing?! Stop it! Stop arguing!! Please!!!! Find him! Find me!” He screams, watching Seonghwa and Mingi argue. San and Wooyoung are holding each other, eyes downcast. Yeosang is busying himself in the kitchen, distracting himself from the argument. Yunho is curled up on the floor, an arm over his eyes as he keeps himself from intervening. 

Hongjoong felt his heart sink, biting his lip as he watched the men. The hand comes back, fingers wrapping around his ankle as she pulls him down like she’d done time and time before. 

Deeper, deeper into the eighth sea, the sea of time itself. 

Deeper, deeper into the abyss. 

Hongjoong reaches out at the wall, tears rolling out of his eyes and washing away with the salt water. 

“Please, don’t give up on me.”

_ -x- _

_ -This sorrow weighs down on my shoulders _

_ This fear is getting harder to hide _

_ You’ll leave me alone in this darkness _

_ Left to hold out _

_ Against the tide- _

-x-

Jongho sighs as he bundles up. It was March, so the chill of winter still clung to the air in South Korea. Whiro stretched across his skin under his jacket, providing an extra layer of insulation that none of the locals could see. 

Amazing how close the two of them had become. 

Cheese tugged at the leash, barking once before pulling him forward. Jongho blinked before jolting in surprise at how persistent the dog was. 

“Cheese, what the hell-”

Cheese ignored his protests and pulled the Maori man into a crowd of people. He was about to scold him when he heard a voice. 

His heart stopped. 

_ “People want it _

_ People dream about it _

_ It can be different to every individual _

_ It can complete us _

_ Or it can destroy us _

_ And it can change the world _

_ People call it 'treasure'” _

Jongho’s lips parted in surprise as he watched a man walk forward on a stage, his hair a sandy brown color in a mullet. He held a microphone to his lips as a few other people and even some kids moved around behind him. It seemed to be a street performance of some kind. 

Jongho had his eyes focused on the small brunette the whole time. 

_ “The sound of wind blowing from the horizon _

_ The warmth of the sun hitting the ocean waves _

_ The vibration of sand beating like the hearts of youth _

_ We're at the starting point of this long journey” _

**“Holy fucking shit, kid.” ** Whiro’s voice snapped him back into focus as he tugged at his hand. **“Get the phone, Jongho! Close your mouth and get the phone!”**

Jongho shakily plucked his phone from his pocket and held it up, eyes wide as he recorded, nearly dropping it. 

On the stage, the brunette dressed in modern clothing that was clearly supposed to resemble pirate attire, walked around the stage, smiling at some of the kids and some of the other five adults on stage. 

_ “The freezing winds may make us shiver _

_ The heat of the sun may make us thirsty _

_ The vibrations of the sand may swallow us _

_ But we'll never stop.” _

The group grew closer to him, and Jongho watched a woman with feline features raise her microphone next, posing prettily. 

_“Gold~”_

A man with piercings through his eyebrow and bottom lip put an arm on her shoulder, speaking into his own microphone. 

_“Eternal life~”_

A blonde man with a distinct accent put an arm around the brunette’s shoulder, grinning at him before he winked at the crowd, sending them a smile that made his eyes crinkle. 

_“Honor~” _

A slightly shorter man with a deeper voice wiggled under the blonde’s arm and grabbed his mic, his accent matching his as he chimed out his own line in a deep baritone. 

_“Love~”_

A person with pink hair with yellow and blue chalk highlights eagerly bounded up behind them, all but throwing themselves onto the brunette’s back in the center, their long legs stretching outward. 

_“Fame!”_

The six of them laughed before the brunette in the center held his microphone up to his lips. 

_“It doesn't matter what you dream for,_

_So let me ask you_

_What.is.your.treasure?”_ he extended a hand out and for the first time in centuries, as the sound of people clapping around him echoed through his ears, tears slipped down his cheeks. 

“Hong...joong…?” 

_ “Will you join us?” _


	11. Eleventh Dal Segno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, modern day AtT~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I'd like to start off by thanking everyone so far who has commented, shared, reviewed, and just overall enjoyed my work. Some of you who follow me on tumblr may have noticed because of my posting and my character teasers for Modern Day squad that today, November 15th, 2020, marks one full year since I started this fic. It's so amazing to me how kind all of you have been so far and I'm delighted to have all of you aboard for this lovely journey of mine! I'll leave the usual links in the end notes this time, please enjoy and comment maybe? I love each and every one of them and they make me so happy. Have a great day, happy AtT birthday~ <3

“I don’t know why this always comes up? I never said anything about-”

“You! Didn’t! Have! To!” 

Yeosang sighed from his spot in the kitchen, stirring the chuncheon dakgalbi he was making for dinner when the fur on his tails bristled. He paused, his fingers twitching against the wooden spoon as his eyes began to glow a soft red color. Red kitsune markings appeared on his forehead and cheeks as he heard a bark in his head. 

“Cheese?” 

_ ‘Found...friend. Friend found! Friend found! Found friend!’ _

Seonghwa ran a chilled hand through his blonde hair, fed up and ready to just turn and leave so he and Mingi could cool off-no pun intended. 

As he turned, Yeosang came speeding into the living room, his five tails upright behind him as he trembled. 

“WAIT! CHEESE!!! CHEESE FOUND SOMETHING!”

You could hear a pin drop. 

Yeosang took a deep breath and spread his palms out, his eyes glowing brighter as his paintbrush-shaped tails began to sway behind him. 

Cheese and he had connected when Hyuna gifted the supernatural dog to them. They had trained the canine to share what he saw with Yeosang, so all of the boys sat up and scooted closer as Yeosang’s foxfire began to show them the world through Cheese’s eyes. 

-x-

**“That’s definitely him.”**

Jongho nodded in agreement, watching as Hongjoong stepped off of the platform he and the others had done their performance on. Cheese tugged at his leash, looking back and forth between Hongjoong and Jongho, trying to urge the Maori man forward. 

Hongjoong had stepped down with the other adults, holding some fliers in his gloved hand as he talked to the person with the pastel pink hair. Cheese tugged at the leash impatiently, barking once and Jongho watched as Hongjoong jolted. 

His head snapped in Jongho’s direction, meeting his eyes. 

Jongho felt his heart rate pick up. 

Would he recognize him? Just from a look alone? Would the memories come flooding back? 

Gods, he missed him so much. 

As quickly as Hongjoong had met his eyes, his gaze drifted down to the dog on the leash and his whole body locked up. 

The person with the pastel hair noticed he had stopped talking and glanced in Jongho’s direction, pursing their lips. 

“Shit. C’mon, Joong.” They grabbed his wrist and pulled him away, but Jongho could see the telltale stiffness in his walk. 

He was afraid of the dog. 

Jongho reeled Cheese in a bit, bowing slightly at their retreating forms before he felt his phone ring. He answered after the first ring, holding it away from his ear. 

He didn’t even need to look at the caller ID to know it was-

“URSINHO! YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW-”

“Seonghwa, we’re on it. Keep Yeosang connected to Cheese. We’re going now.” He curtly hung up before the captain could say anything else, reaching down to scratch behind Cheese’s ears. 

“Good boy. Remember what Whiro and I taught you. Go track.” He whispered. They were in a crowd, but the supernatural dog could hear him just fine without him needing to repeat himself. Cheese nodded and glanced in the direction of Hongjoong and the group’s retreating form. 

Whiro shifted along Jongho’s skin. 

**“Oh, tell me we get to do the thing.”**

Jongho nodded, slipping into an alleyway. 

“We’re doing the thing.” 

**“FUCK YEAH!”**

Jongho rolled his eyes good naturedly before he let Whiro take over, turning both of them into a shadow. Cheese stared at the shadows shifting along the side of the building before Jongho and Whiro made a series of stairs up to the roof. The canine eagerly hopped up to the rooftops and sniffed, his ears rotating before he looked towards the East. 

With a deep sniff, the dog took off, jumping from rooftop to rooftop much faster than the normal untrained eye could catch. Shadows followed the canine, creating long platforms for rooftops that were a bit too far apart to reach as the trio rushed forward. 

For the first time in a very long time, Jongho let a large, relieved smile come to his face. 

They found him. 

-x-

“How was the performance?” 

Hongjoong lifted his head from the car trunk, smiling wide when his younger sister, Moa, walked up to him, gently taking one of the boxes he was carrying up and out of his hands. 

“It was really fun! The kids loved the pirate theme so much and we never expected to get so many people to stop and watch us. A lot of people took our fliers, so maybe they’ll stop by and check auntie’s studio out!” He beamed. Moa’s eyes lit up, her pigtails swinging as her and Hongjoong walked inside, chattering about the plans for dinner. 

Yuta was already in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up as he situated a plate of tonkatsu on the table between the small table top stove that was currently simmering a large pot of oden and a small platter of grilled squid and scallion pancakes. 

The smell wafted through the home and Yeonjun’s eyes lit up as they all but darted across the threshold, popping their heads over Yuta’s shoulder. 

“Hello my most favorite Ishihara in the whole wide world~”

“Get out of our house.” Moa huffed, pouting as Yuta laughed loudly. 

“Sis you know they’re kidding.” 

“No, they always get like this when you cook! I can cook too!” 

Everyone in the house paused, looking at one another before Felix awkwardly cleared his throat. 

“HEY! SAY IT WITH YOUR CHEST YA LITTLE-”

The two began running around and a loud, chaotic cloud of laughter drifted out of the home. 

Outside, beyond the slate colored brick facade wall, Jongho let Cheese survey the house, typing a mile a minute on his phone. He wasn’t sure if this was where Hongjoong himself lived or not but if Cheese could get a strong enough scent on the place, it was easy enough to trace back, regardless. 

They had to come up with a plan and-

Jongho was suddenly snatched back firmly into a shadow by Whiro, pressed firmly against the brick wall. 

He was about to hiss at him when a shadow wrapped around his mouth, and in a split second, a woman rounded around the corner of the fence. Jongho froze, sitting still in the shadow. 

There was a woman with a ponytail who stood there. She was small, no larger than 5’1”, with her inky black hair tied up in a high ponytail. She glanced around the dark street for a moment before she turned her head, brown eyes staring at the wall Jongho was currently hiding in. 

The moon was on the opposite side of the high wall and there were no streetlights on back here, so Jongho was confident she couldn’t see the abnormal shadow stretched over the wall, but for some reason, he wasn’t inclined to move at all and shift to the dark ground. 

She had snuck up on the two of them without a single one of them sensing her. 

For some reason, Jongho felt danger bells ring the longer she stared at the wall in the near complete darkness of the night, the only light in the alleyway being from the house and the moon. 

The woman sniffed slightly, once, twice, before she turned her body, the chains attached to her dress jingling as she walked closer to the wall, her boots kicking up gravel as she stopped right in front of the wall. 

**‘Be very still, kid.’** Whiro warned him, and Jongho wasn’t inclined to argue with him for once. 

The girl sniffed again, stepping closer to the wall. Her eyes drifted down, right where Jongho had his mere before her eyes drifted up to where his eyes would be. 

Jongho felt his heart stop. 

Could she see him…?

She sniffed again and hummed, reaching towards the wall, and Jongho considered just booking it.

“Oi, what are you doing out here, babe?”

The woman’s hand stopped just short of where Jongho’s cheek was as she turned her head to the opening in the fence that led out to the alleyway. The blonde from the stage performance with Hongjoong tilted his head, looking from her to the darkness before he squinted. 

“Why are you out in the dark?” 

“I thought I smelled something. Cinnamon and almonds. Sorry, Chan.” She hummed, stepping away from the wall. Jongho resisted the urge to let out a relieved sigh, his lungs screaming from holding his breath (and Whiro nearly suffocating him in this damn shadow). 

‘Chan’ sniffed curiously before his brow furrowed. 

“Weird. I don’t smell anything. Anyway, come inside, Su-ya. Your brother finished cooking and we should get our plate before Yeonjun and Hongjoong eat all of it.” He laughed and a small smile crossed her face. She walked over to him, settling against his chest as he tossed an arm over her shoulder, steering her inside. 

“We really gotta get a light for that alleyway, too. It’s dark as fuck at night over there.” 

Suzuka looked over his shoulder before they entered the house, humming slightly. 

Whiro finally let Jongho go and the man wheezed, staying in the shadow, but taking a deep breath to un-collapse his damn lungs from the strain. 

“What the  _ fuck- _ ”

**“I don’t like how easily she snuck up on us.” **

Jongho frowned, nodding in agreement. While it was true it had been some time since they had been in actual combat, out of the seven of them-sans Seonghwa, who was always practicing and letting his frustrations out with his falcatas and powers-the two of them were the still the most combat-ready. 

To have a 20-something year old woman just...catch them off guard like that-

Before Jongho and Whiro could think too deeply about it, Cheese walked up to them, pawing at the shadow. 

**“He’s got a read on the place. We have what we need. C’mon, we should probably go home to the waterworks.” **

Jongho nodded, stepping out of the shadow and attaching the leash back to Cheese, hurrying away as he took the long way back to survey the neighborhood. 

From Chan’s bedroom window in the house, Suzuka leaned against the frame, watching him leave, humming. 

“I knew I smelled something.” 

-x-

_ “Will you join us?” _

Seonghwa held his phone in his trembling hands, watching back the video Jongho had sent them over and over again. 

It really was him. 

Sandy brunette hair, that smile that stretched across his face, the almost infuriating (but not really) way he couldn’t keep his tongue in his mouth. 

It was pierced now. That was fun. 

Nevertheless, it was really him. Hongjoong was finally, after centuries, right in front of them. 

_ “Will you join us?” _

“Hwa...I feel the same but you’ve replayed that video 88 times.” San gently nudged him. He was still in his spot on the floor, on his knees, where he had collapsed when Cheese had connected with Yeosang. 

“I’ll replay it 88 more.” Seonghwa muttered without hesitation. Yunho smiled, looking to find Mingi doing the same from his spot on the couch, a hand over his lips and tears rolling down his cheek as Wooyoung looked over his shoulder before he began crying again, burying his face into the crook of Mingi’s neck. 

“I...know we’re all in shock and we’re happy, but I’d like to remind everyone that we’re in January. We have until November to jog his memory. We need to figure out where to start. We can’t just walk up to him and go; ‘Hi, we’re immortal pirates from 400 or so years ago and we’ve been looking for you for centuries and also you’ve died sixteen times and will die again if you don’t remember us, wanna get coffee?’. We need a plan.” Jongho gently told them. Yeosang ran his fingers through Cheese’s fur, nodding in agreement. 

“Cheese has his scent, we have a general understanding where he lives, or at least, where his current friends live, so now we should start figuring out how we’re gonna break this curse.” He spoke gently, looking over as Seonghwa. 

_ “Will you join us?” _

Seonghwa stared at the paused screen, at Hongjoong’s smile, and nodded, standing up finally. His knees buckled slightly from them having fallen asleep, but Yunho was fast enough and steadied him. He smiled softly, kissing his cheek before he looked at the others. 

“Do one of you happen to have a feather?” 

All of their eyes widened. 

“Seonghwa-?

“I need to ask...her for help. If anyone would know where to start, it’s someone who’s more in touch with the world around us. Let’s be honest, all of us have been kind of...absorbed in this and we have no allies or friends to help us here.” 

**“Well shit, Captain Stick Up My Ass wants to ask for help and we didn’t pull teeth to get us there. Bring your umbrella next time we go outside, Jong, it’s gonna rain cats and dogs.”**

“Bite me, spectre.”

**“Ohh, you wish, love boy. At least take us out to dinner first.” ** Whiro snarked. Seonghwa’s brow ticked in annoyance before San handed him a feather. He exhaled. 

“Hyuna.”

“Ah! You called me! How can I hel-” Hyuna paused when she came face to face with Seonghwa. She paused, as did Dawn-who always faithfully came when she was summoned. Seonghwa stared her down and she tilted her head, raising a hand when Dawn subtly reached for one of his sickles. 

“Hold on a sec. If it’s him calling me, it must be important. Spill, what have you found?” She hummed, tilting her head to the side. 

“We found Hongjoong. And we need your help...um...figuring out how to move forward.” 

Hyuna lit up, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh? I’m on it~”

-x-

“So, lemme get this straight-”

Seonghwa had decided he didn’t like this kid. 

“You all have been around since the pirate era and you dusty asses didn’t just google his name when it became available?” 

Nope. He was gonna kill him, he knew it.

“Nana, isn’t that a bit...harsh? It looks like the old captain’s name changed each time he was reborn.”

See, the second one? The one called Jeno? Seonghwa could reason with him. The one with the cocky smirk and that annoying ass drawl, called Jaemin though? 

“Seonghwa, I see you about to bust a vein from here. Relax a bit. They’re trying to help us.” Yeosang told him helpfully and Seonghwa grumbled. 

Whatever. 

Hyuna had brought them to a trio of men she called her allies, and now the nine of them stood in front of Jaemin, Jeno, and Renjun, waiting for the three to assist. 

According to Hyuna, the three of them specialized in information gathering and falsifying official documents, which was exactly what they needed in this situation. 

Jaemin grinned coyly at Seonghwa being diffused and extended his hand out to the group. 

“You said there was a video of him? Tell me which one it was and we can start there.” Renjun mumbled, the light from his laptop illuminating his face as he typed. He had been typing out word for word what each of them had said from the moment Hyuna told them they needed help, recording whatever information they gave them. 

Wooyoung offered his phone, his eyes still bloodshot and red and the three of them pressed play, peeking over Jaemin’s shoulder. 

“....”

“.....”

“.......”

“Hongjoong is-”

“Are the seven of you living under a fucking rock?” 

“Jaemin!” 

“No, really, Jeno! They’ve been looking for a fucking international star and couldn’t find him until one of them dumb luck stumbled across him?”

San blinked, stepping forward. 

“Pause. Go back. He’s what now?”

Jaemin stared at the group incredulously. 

“His name is Ishihara Hongjoong, dude. He’s part of a band with his family.” 

-x-

Hongjoong sneezed before he shivered, pulling his hoodie closer to his body. 

Must be coming down with a cold or something. Bleh. 

He ducked into a cafe, shifting from foot to foot as he waited in line, smiling at the barista behind the counter. 

“Oh, Hongjoong! Good morning. The usual, right?” 

“Yeah, thank you very much, Riza. Can you cut back on the sugar for Yeonjun a bit today? They were bouncing off the walls yesterday.” He put his hands together, bowing slightly. 

Riza sent him a look, arching a brow. 

“You know I’ll have to deal with them pouting at me for a week if I do that.”

Hongjoong sighed, though it was half hearted, and Riza could tell it was all in good fun, especially with the way he cracked a smile at her. 

She made eight different cups of coffee and lattes for the group, knowing their orders by heart before she set them in a cup holder, waving at Hongjoong as he paid and left the store. 

“Thanks a bunch, Ri!”

“You’re welcome! See you tomorrow!”

Hongjoong stretched and made his way through the busy streets of Seoul. His freshly cut and dyed hair was styled up and away from his forehead and it took him longer than he’d like to admit to realize it was because of his haircut that the back of his neck was cold. 

Idly, as he passed a store window and saw his own reflection, pastel pink hair standing out and contrasting against the black winter coat he was wearing, he remembered how he’d gotten into this bubblegum situation. 

-o-

Cotton candy pink hair bounced with every energetic step. The sound of singing filled the halls as they approached the door to their loft. They could hear voices on the other side of the door, smell the delicious food being cooked, too. 

With a smile, they tossed open the door to the apartment open, a wide smile on their face. 

“Yeonj-”

Felix paused, lips parting. 

“Woah, your hair-”

“Right? I was painting a sunset and thought to myself; ‘woah, these colors look really pretty…so I went to Kira-noona and asked her to dye my hair.” They beamed proudly. Chungha poked her head out of the kitchen, her eyes lighting up. 

“A new color? Wait, colors?” 

Yeonjun set their portfolio down on the counter and sat at the island as Chan and Hongjoong got closer, peering at their hair and noticing the blue and yellow strands amongst the cotton candy pink. 

“It looks cute. I’m kinda jealous.” Hongjoong teased. Yeonjun’s eyes twinkled and Hongjoong squinted. 

“No-”

“Good! Because I can dye your hair! That mullet has to go.”

“Yeonjun, we have the street performance-”

Yeonjun leaned close to him, jutting their bottom lip out.

“Can we do it afterwards? The mullet has to go, Joong. It’s been, like, six months.” They pouted, poking Hongjoong’s cheek. Hongjoong blinked before scratching his head shyly. 

  
  


“Do you think it’ll look good?”

  
  


“I think you’ll look amazing" 

  
  


From across the kitchen, Felix snickered beside Chungha as she shook her head, stirring the pot of food. 

  
  


"Yeonjun strikes again. Just can’t tell them no.” She cooed, though there was only an affectionate air to her voice.

  
  


“Hey! come over here, I drew up some new concepts for the next concert!” Yeonjun beamed, spreading out the sheets of paper proudly as the others gathered around them.

“I'm thinking of something with ice sculptures! I freaking love ice sculptures!”

Hongjoong laughed lightly. 

“I better not see you with a mullet a month from now, since you want me to cut mine.” 

“Boy, please. I’ll only get a mullet if it’s pink.” 

“What’s with you and the color pink?!”

-o-

Hongjoong hummed, lost in his thoughts when the sound of a horn blaring startled him. He looked off to the side, finding a car riding close to a giant puddle in the street. 

His eyes grew, trying to shimmy away from the curb when something eclipsed his vision. 

He heard a wet sound and in a flash, the thing (person? Yeah, that was definitely a person-) in front of him was soaked. 

“Oh my god, are you okay?” He took a step back, eyes wide as he looked up into a pair of steel grey eyes. His breath caught as those grey eyes scanned over his face with an almost...tender and familiar look in his eyes. 

“Are you okay, _mon petit putois_?” 

Hongjoong’s lips parted as he stared up at the man. The two of them stood on the street, just staring into each other’s eyes. Hongjoong took in the man’s face, the peculiar grey eyes, the blonde, perfectly sculpted eyebrows and soft blonde hair (it couldn’t be natural, right? There’s no way...but it looked so soft….), the plump lips…

“_Mon putois_?” The man repeated. Hongjoong blinked up at him before he cocked his head to the side, finally responding. 

“Did...did you just call me a polecat?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to self promo myself too, so please feel free to follow my  
[Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com)  
My new [Muse Blog](https://atiny-crew-musings.tumblr.com/) (you can ask the fic characters questions! People seem to adore Whiro and Boatswain Mingi the most hehe)  
and feel free to check out my tumblr masterlist with [Character Analyses](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com/post/190853611066/the-following-is-a-mlist-for-the-analyses-of-some=) that I'll continue working on alongside this work.  
Since the last chapter, the analyses for San, Mingi, and Jongho have went up. Mingi and Jongho's have some commissioned art so feel free to drop by and check it out and give some love to the artists that made my vision of the boys come to life!


	12. Twelfth Dal Segno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Exposition is sexy. Also I wrote a smutshot for Chan and Suzuka so AtTiny please go give it some love too *shies*  
[Right Here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28274265)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'd like to self promo myself too, so please feel free to follow my  
[Ateez Blog](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com)  
My new [Muse Blog](https://atiny-crew-musings.tumblr.com/) (you can ask the fic characters questions! People seem to adore Whiro and Boatswain Mingi the most hehe)  
and feel free to check out my tumblr masterlist with [Character Analyses](https://atiny-piratequeen.tumblr.com/post/190853611066/the-following-is-a-mlist-for-the-analyses-of-some=) that I'll continue working on alongside this work.  
Since the last chapter, the analyses for San, Mingi, and Jongho have went up. Mingi and Jongho's have some commissioned art so feel free to drop by and check it out and give some love to the artists that made my vision of the boys come to life!

Seonghwa blinked in surprise. 

He knew French now?

A small part of his heart clenched sadly. He never got the opportunity to tell the original Hongjoong what it meant-

“Um...are...you okay, sir? Ah! You’re soaked!” Hongjoong began to panic, his hands full and occupied with the cafe orders. The blonde in front of him sent him a small smile, his lips parting to say something when Hongjoong’s panicked voice cut him off. 

“What do I do? You must be freezing! I have to get the coffees back to the house...Um...d...do you want me to pay for your clothes? Ah, that will take too long, it’s like 8am, most of the stores around here are closed until 9 or 10am, you’ll catch a cold!” 

Seonghwa wanted to blurt out that he _ couldn’t _ catch a cold. He couldn’t even feel any discomfort aside from the fact that his skin was wet. The coat he was wearing was merely a formality. 

Before he said anything, he remembered the small briefing Renjun gave the seven of them, Dawn, and Hyuna. 

-xoxo-

“Curses are powerful things, the stronger the being, the stronger the curse. From my knowledge, you seem to have evoked the curse of a beast from Posieden’s domain, and that is nothing to scoff at. My understanding of this curse is that it comes in several components. You seven have to remind Mr. Ishihara of who he truly is, of who _ you _ are, and do so before his birthday. Failure to do so will result in something occurring that will kill him in this body, and he’ll be reborn at another time, and you’ll have to start all over again. My advice to you would be for you to make sure you take it one step at a time.” Renjun hummed, tapping the end of a pencil to his lips as his fingers flipped through a thick book. 

Most of the boys couldn’t tell exactly what the symbols in the book meant, but Yunho instantly recognized them, for some reason. 

The answer to that came in the form of the familiar glowing triangle. Yunho gently stepped back, letting Geb take over his body as the olden god stepped forward, peering over Renjun’s shoulders. 

“Hieroglyphs? In this day and age?”

Renjun pushed his glasses up his nose. 

“Oh, fractured piece of the God of Earth currently trapped inside of an immortal pirate forevermore, you question me on my methods? It works for me. Plus, these two can’t tell when I’m talking shit about them.” Renjun snickered behind his pages as Jaemin let out a protest from across the room, followed by Jeno simply smiling kindly, seemingly unphased by the idea of the gossip. 

“To be clear, the three of us aren’t paired with pieces of gods like you are. We’re the full thing. Geb, you may know me by my actual name, Thoth.” Renjun lowered the book and a look of realization crossed Geb/Yunho’s face. 

Yeosang tilted his head, leaning over into Wooyoung’s space. 

“Thot? Right? Did I hear him right?”

Wooyoung laughed, his reddened nose crinkling in delight while Jaemin laughed from his spot by one of the desks in the room. 

“_ Thoth! _My name is Thoth!” 

“I thought your name was Renjun~” Hyuna teased, dodging the small lightning bolt-like magic Renjun fired at her from his finger. 

“_ Anyway- _” Renjun hissed, closing his book to look at the ensemble of people in front of him. 

“Please be careful with how you do this. You can’t afford to work slowly, given this will be the twenty second year, thus the curse will renew again on his birthday, but you can’t just go in guns blazing shouting at him about who you are and who he is.” He placed his book down and stood, standing in front of them with his hands behind his back. 

“One’s mind is a delicate thing. You need to slowly get him to remember by simulating and repeating behaviours similarly to how you used to do around him back in your pirate days. Trying to overload him with information may have an adverse effect and you may end up causing his subconscious to get muddled and then you very well may make this harder, or impossible for him to tap into the suppressed memories." 

A tense silence filled the air and Renjun looked them in the eye one by one before speaking. 

"You’ve finally found him, don’t ruin your chance by causing a catastrophic imbalance within his mind because of haste.”

-x-

“I...am quite cold...but don’t worry about it-”

“No, no...god, aneki is gonna kill me if I bring some stranger home but-” Hongjoong’s tongue flicked out to lick worriedly at his lip and Seonghwa caught sight of the shiny ball at the center of it. 

Oh?

With a small ‘fuck it’, Hongjoong motioned in front of him and sent him a small sympathetic look. 

“I don’t usually do this, but people don’t usually jump in front of freezing water in the middle of January for me, either. Come on, I need to get you warm before you catch a cold. 

Seonghwa allowed himself to be led along, his heart thundering in his chest as Hongjoong apologized a mile a minute. 

“I’m really sorry, I must have spaced out. Why did you do that, by the way? Do you...do you know me?” He paused, looking at him, trying to gage his reaction. 

Even after all these years, Seonghwa was an excellent tactician, so he simply tilted his head, feigning ignorance. 

“Non, I’m a foreigner. I’m rather new here. I just saw someone in trouble. Really, you don’t have to do anything for me. I’m just happy to have helped. It would be a shame if you got covered in water and ruined your orders.” 

Lay it on honey sweet, Seonghwa. You were taught vigorously in the art of kissing up and playing up stories to make yourself look unassuming when you needed to so-

“I’m not gonna leave you in the cold, then. My name is Ishihara Hongjoong, by the way.” Hongjoong properly introduced himself, bowing with both hands full of the coffee as he stopped at the porch of a beautiful home. 

Seonghwa watched him fumble with the take out carriers for a moment before he reached, taking both of them gently. Hongjoong looked up at him and he sent him a gentle, princely smile. 

“My name is Park Seonghwa.” 

Hongjoong unlocked his door and nodded inside.

“You have a unique accent, Seonghwa-ssi. And the French from earlier...Where are you from?” He inquired, toeing off his shoes. Seonghwa noticed the array of shoes and slippers at the door, counting several pairs as he took his own shoes off. 

Not including Hongjoong, there were eight pairs of slippers of varying sizes at the doorway. 

“I was raised in a country in the Mediterranean. I know several languages, mon putois.” Seonghwa followed Hongjoong in and the smaller man tapped his finger to his chin. 

“You keep calling me a polecat. Your polecat...little polecat…” He trailed off and Seonghwa bit the inside of his cheek. Was he doing too much already? He wasn’t sure exactly how he should proceed and calling Hongjoong by his original nickname just felt so..._ right _ again.

“Does this displease you?” he questioned. Hongjoong looked up at him and shook his head. 

“No, not at all. I think it’s cute. Do you normally give cute nicknames to people you just meet?” He teased. Seonghwa rubbed the back of his neck. 

‘No, not at all. Only to people I care about.’

“Ah, yes. Must be a force of habit.” Seonghwa laughed lightly and Hongjoong smiled, settling the coffee on the kitchen table. 

“Wait here. I’ll grab some clothes. You look like you’re taller than most of the people in this house aside from Yeonjun, but they don’t really like parting with clothes so easily so I’ll give you one of my overgrown shirts.” Hongjoong hurried off and Seonghwa slowly took his coat off, looking at the large stained wet spot at the back of the dark blue coat. He could care less for how much it would cost to fix it, honestly. 

As he was peeling his shirt over his head, he heard footsteps getting closer. 

“Joongie, did you make sure to ask Riza to put extra sugar right? I swear yesterday’s sugar rush was because of the cake-” 

As Seonghwa emerged from the cotton of his shirt, he was face to face with a slack jawed person with nearly the same pink hair as Hongjoong had, sans the streaks of yellow and blue in their wayward locks.

Their lips parted in surprise, brown eyes trailing up and down Seonghwa’s body before they cocked their head, an impressed sound leaving their lips. 

“Not to be rude but...who are _ you _?” They inquired. Seonghwa straightened his back, looking at the taller person with a small, polite smile. 

He was, afterall, in their home. 

“My name is Seonghwa.” 

“Right, right. And what exactly are you doing standing in my kitchen at-”they paused to check the numbers on the microwave. “-8:45am half naked, Seonghwa-ssi?” They leaned over the kitchen counter, long fingers plucking up the cafe cup with their name and a small drawn-on fox on it. 

Before Seonghwa could answer, Hongjoong swooped in like a bat out of hell. 

“Oh my god, Jun-Seonghwa here, I’m sorry I took so long.” Hongjoong handed Seonghwa a towel and a shirt, turning to explain to Yeonjun what happened and why Seonghwa was there. The whole time, Yeonjun watched Seonghwa over Hongjoong’s shoulder, making small ‘mm’ and ‘mhm’s to acknowledge they were _ somewhat _listening to the story. 

This blonde...really was an attractive man, huh? 

"So, this Prince Charming man just swooped in and shielded you from dirty street water and you brought him here and now he's half naked in our kitchen?" They recapped. Hongjoong flushed and swatted at them and while Seonghwa chuckled lightly. 

He stopped suddenly when he noticed the dangling bracelet around Hongjoong’s left wrist. 

It looked...very familiar. Small, circular in shape. 

….the sun disk pendant they got from Greece all those centuries ago? The one lost to the sea that fateful night?

Seonghwa’s eyes widened, staring at the bracelet, noticing just past it, the large splotch on Hongjoong’s wrist. It was shaped like his old compass mark, but now it was more like a birthmark than anything else. There also seemed to be a thick scale dangling just behind the sun disk that reminded Seonghwa of the times when Hongjoong would fly off the handle and the scales would appear on his skin. 

It was the same deep iridescent blue and green color. 

Yeonjun grabbed Hongjoong’s hand, snapping Seonghwa out of his trance. The pink haired person sent him a small smile before tugging Hongjoong out of the room unceremoniously and out of earshot. 

Hongjoong waited until Yeonjun closed their bedroom door before cocking a brow.

"Yes…?"

"He's hot."

"....y..yes???"

"Are you gonna like...tap that?"

Hongjoong’s eyes grew as he swatted at his friend, ignoring their laugh. 

"Yeonjun! I don't know anything about him!"

"You know he's tall and hot and chivalrous. So like...you gonna do anything with that or can I?" Yeonjun wiggled pink eyebrows at him. Hongjoong laughed and pushed their shoulders. 

"You goof, I need a little more than a pretty face and nice actions to fall for someone. Go get his number if you wanna tap that so bad."

Back in the kitchen, Seonghwa's finger tapped against the table, his brain whirring as it worked at maximum capacity. 

Hongjoong hadn't had his actual name in years, that's why it was so hard to find him, amongst other reasons. 

He had (part of) his name, he had the sundisk bracelet, and in lieu of his tattoo was a birthmark sporting the same shape.

What the hell was going on…?

It was certainly something to ask Renjun.

As he tapped his fingers against the table, the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. 

He could swear he felt a blade against his neck. 

In an instant, he whirled around, but he found no such weapon there. 

Instead, he found a man leaning against the counter near the sink, a sausage stick dangling from his lips as he watched Seonghwa, amused. 

"Oh, finally noticed? I didn't expect you to let your guard down so easily. Or maybe we're just that good."

Seonghwa tensed.

When the fuck did he get in here and why didn't he hear or sense him? Seonghwa was a trained fighter, there's no way in hell-

Also what's with that strange familiarity he's using to speak to him? As if he knows he's not just-

"My name's Ishihara Yuta. I hear you helped my baby brother somehow? If the chattering from Yeonjun's room is anything to go by." Yuta sent him a lopsided smile, tilting his head as he pushed himself off of the counter. He extended a hand to Seonghwa and the prince hesitated for a fraction of a second. 

What's this...pressure...coming from him?

Yuta's lips quirked for a moment, blink if you miss it, but Seonghwa caught it, reaching and shaking his hand. 

His grip was strong. His hand was as calloused as Seonghwa’s. 

"Park Seonghwa. I'm a foreigner."

"I know. She told me."

Seonghwa’s eyes widened and Yuta kept his grip on his hand a bit longer than a standard shake called for. 

"_ Who- _"

"My coffee is gonna get cold messing around with you damn fools-oh!"

Before Seonghwa could question the mysterious man, three people walked in. One was a woman with her hair neatly pushed back behind a plush headband, the other was a man in a baggy graphic T-Shirt with matching silver lip and eyebrow piercings, the last gentleman was freckled and in the middle of dodging a swat from the woman when they noticed Seonghwa’s presence.

They stopped short, looking at the new man in Hongjoong's shirt, currently holding Yuta's hand. 

Seonghwa let go in an instant, bowing. 

"Hello."

"...hi?" Felix squinted and Chungha tilted her head. 

"Who are you? A friend of yours, Yuta?" She inquired. Yuta smiled, carefree as he shrugged. 

"Dunno. Depends on how he acts."

Seonghwa knew a threat when he heard it. 

He also noticed the bracelet around Yuta's wrist. It was similar to Hongjoong’s, except it was made of platinum and the charm at the center was a crescent moon. 

"I'm kidding. This is Hongjoong’s friend. I imagine we'll see him around more often so be nice." He told them, stepping away to go grab his coffee. 

Seonghwa watched him out of the corner of his eye before bowing again, introducing himself. 

The three, though confused, quickly did the same, and he found out that their names were Felix, Chungha, and Changkyun. 

There were only three more people to meet, according to Renjun’s info dump onto him before he’d set out that morning. Two of them were Hongjoong’s (other) adoptive siblings and the other gentleman was the boyfriend of one of Hongjoong’s sisters. 

“Oh, nearly everyone came out before I could tell them you were here.” Hongjoong’s voice drifted back in and Seonghwa perked, looking towards him. Yeonjun stood beside him, an arm around his shoulders. 

“Sorry for dragging my darling best friend out, had to talk about something real quick. By the way, do you wanna stay for breakfast? You might as well...and maybe I could get your number?” Yeonjun winked. Felix choked on his orange juice and Chungha muttered something about a ‘thot’ under her breath while Hongjoong sputtered. 

“_ Jun!” _

“What?!”

“You guys are loud this morning.” A deep accent pulled Seonghwa’s attention to the doorway and he finally found the last three members of the household. 

Bang Chan, the one who spoke, and was now looking at him curiously, Ishihara Moa, who was twirling a drumstick, sizing him up with a small arched brow and pursed lips, and Ishihara Suzuka, who was currently staring holes through his head, her face neutral. 

Ah, she was the one Jongho mentioned from the night before. 

“You must be Seonghwa.” 

He stared at Suzuka, his hands folded on the table. If his encounter earlier with Yuta was anything to go by, he knew he had to have his guard up here in this house. 

It wasn’t outright hostile, but the aura in the kitchen when Hongjoong’s siblings stepped in definitely spiked and made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. 

He felt like he was back home, sitting in a room with other leaders of countries, all wearing poker faces as they waited for the other to slip up. 

Maybe he was being paranoid…?

“I am, you must have heard. I’ve caused such chaos in your home today, sorry about that.” He apologized, his ‘prince voice’ on as he masked his suspicion. Moa shrugged, plopping down beside Yeonjun, drumming on a rubber drum pad after she scooted her drink between her arms, sipping from the straw. Seonghwa could see the bracelet on her wrist, a small angel wing dangling from it. 

Suzuka kept her eyes on Seonghwa before glancing at Yuta. 

Her twin brother let out a small hum, biting down on his sausage stick. 

Seonghwa couldn’t discern what they were conveying to each other, but he noticed Suzuka was the only one of the siblings missing a bracelet. 

“Don’t apologize. Do you have any plans, we can make breakfast to share.” Suzuka offered, moving to the stove. Chungha joined her and Seonghwa nodded, taking the opportunity for what it was. 

“If you don’t mind. Could I help out at all?” 

“You’re a guest, mate. Just sit back and relax.” Chan told him, grabbing some things from the fridge. Seonghwa nodded before he gently cleared his throat. 

“In that case...may I use the restroom?”

“No problem. It’s straight down the hall and to the left.” Changkyun pointed and Seonghwa nodded, making his way down the hall. 

Once he was in the bathroom, he pulled his phone out, calling Yunho. 

_ “Seonghwa? Are you alright?” _

“I bumped into him.”

There was a pause before a shuffle for the phone. 

_ “Did he recognize you!? What did he say?” _

Seonghwa smiled at San’s enthusiasm and looked at a small painting that was on the wall. He inspected it as he spoke, noticing it sporting a small fox drawing for the signature. It appears as if Yeonjun painted the piece. 

“He didn’t recognize me. But I can try to see if I can open up the possibility of a friendship so I can see if he’ll start regaining his memories. We should follow the plan and slowly introduce ourselves into his life step by step and work from there.” Seonghwa spoke quickly and precisely. He didn’t want to spend a suspicious amount of time away from the others, lest they think he’s stealing or something. 

_ “Renjun has found out more things while you were gone. We can catch up when you come back home. Jaemin says you owe him, Jeno, and Renjun some dinner for their work, though.” _San reported. Seonghwa rolled his eyes slightly and made a noise of affirmation before he hung up, turning on to wash his hands after flushing the toilet he didn’t use. 

Once he was finished, he opened the door and moved to go back down the hall when he felt a presence. 

In an instant, he spun around, grabbing someone’s wrist in a tight grip. 

How the _ hell _ do people keep sneaking up on him?

He looked down and found Suzuka looking at him, her eyes half lidded. He startled and moved to let go when she twisted her wrist free and snatched him back, all but slamming him chest first against the wall beside the bathroom, twisting his arm behind his back with a strength he didn’t expect from her. 

“What-”

“You’ve taken your time finding him. I imagine it must have been difficult.” 

Seonghwa froze. 

“Who are you?” He gritted out.

“I told you my name. I am Hongjoong’s older sister.” She let him go and stepped away, crossing her arms as Seonghwa turned around, his jaw set. 

“Better question, _ what _ are you?”

“Again, Hongjoong’s older sister. You needn’t know much else about me. I hope that it doesn’t come to that, I truly do.” She continued. Seonghwa pressed his lips into a tight line. Suzuka stared him in the eyes, sniffing the air slightly. 

“Your scent. Chestnut and cloves. I’ll remember it well.” She put her hands in her pajama pants pockets and started walking past him. Before she got to the corner, she stopped short, looking over her shoulder. 

“I hope you and the others can do your job well enough that drastic measures don’t have to be taken. I truly don’t want you to have to find out who I really am.” She exhaled. Seonghwa clicked his tongue. 

“Are you her? The sea beast?”

Suzuka’s face soured. 

“How insulting. No. I’m not. If I ever get the opportunity, I’ll rip her to pieces myself. I am as I’ve stated. Hongjoong’s concerned older sister. I would sooner tear this world to pieces before I let my family fall to ruin. Please do your best, Park Seonghwa. And do know, now that I have your scent, there will be nowhere to run should you fail to do your part.” She made her way back to the kitchen. 

Seonghwa watched her go, noticing the thick chain that had fallen on the ground in the hallway. 

In the center was a pendant that was shaped like a fang. 

-x-

“Seonghwa! Tell us how it went-”

Seonghwa power walked past Wooyoung and Jongho as soon as he got in their home, making his way up to Renjun, who was looking through books, his eyes glowing as he muttered something in another language. 

Jaemin was beside him, nodding along, quickly typing it all down much faster than any person should be able to. As soon as Seonghwa stopped in front of Renjun, the god paused, blinking a few times before his eyes returned to a natural color. 

“You look vexed, Captain.” 

“I need you to look into his family as much as you can. Something’s up with his siblings. There’s no way they’re human.” He muttered. Renjun hummed, the tips of his fingers glowing as he summoned a book. 

“You’re really putting me to work, hm? Very well. Let us see what we can dig up.” 


End file.
